Peruvian quake kills at least 17; wide tsunami alerts are issued

8/15/2007

(Updated at 10:25 p.m.) A powerful earthquake shook Peru s coast near the capital on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people as it toppled buildings and caused hundreds to flee office buildings in Lima. The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for the coasts of Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia, and a tsunami watch from Panama to Mexico. It also issued a tsunami advisory for the U.S. state of Hawaii.

(Posted at 2:20 p.m.) ROCKVILLE, MD The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has decided not to come down hard on FirstEnergy Corp. for holding back on contradictory information the utility had gathered about the near-rupture of Davis-Besse's old reactor head in 2002, letting the utility off with what is effectively a warning. The agency ordered FirstEnergy to improve communications, training and impose better review procedures. No fines were imposed.

(Posted at 9:14 a.m.) At least one person was hurt in a traffic accident involving a tanker truck, which overturned about 6:55 this morning in the 1700 block of Airport Highway in south Toledo, spilling diesel fuel, authorities said.

(Posted at 12:01 p.m.) Two armed men, one believed to be 16, forced a man out of his mini-van last night and stole it, police said. The carjacking occurred near Berdan Avenue and Torrance Drive in West Toledo about 11 p.m., police said.

Police began checking the area for the stolen red Chevrolet Astro van and located it near the entrance of Liberty Park.

(Updated at 10:10 a.m.) ERIE, Mich. A Monroe teen is in critical condition after a single-car crash early today in Monroe County's LaSalle Township. James L. Goins, 18, the driver of the car, was airlifted to Toledo Hospital. The crash occurred about 4:45 a.m. on South Telegraph Road near East Rauch Road in LaSalle Township, about 10 miles north of Toledo.

(Updated at 11:51 a.m.) A man was shot in the chest and seriously injured early today in the 2600 block of Tremainsville Road in West Toledo, police said.

Lorenzo Brown, 28, 2667 Tremainsville Rd., was taken to Toledo Hospital with at least one gunshot wound to his chest, police officials said. A hospital nursing supervisor said there was no patient there by that name. Police reported Mr. Brown's injuries appeared to be serious and possibly life threatening.

(Posted at 7:31 a.m.) VAN BUREN, Ohio At least one person is in a hospital after a car and a minivan collided yesterday in northeast Hancock County about 35 miles south of Toledo. Morgan Baker, 18, of Fostoria, a passenger in the car, was airlifted to the University of Toledo Medical Center, formerly Medical College of Ohio, the Hancock County Sheriff s Office said.

(Posted at 6:12 a.m.) VAN WERT, Ohio A Van Wert man was in critical condition last night after the van he was driving went left of center on U.S. 224 just west of Van Wert and struck two semi tractors yesterday, the Ohio Highway Patrol said. Chris Skinner, 53, was flown to Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne after the crash on U.S. 224, between Old Tile Factory and Van Wert Decatur roads in Pleasant Township. The mile-long stretch of road was closed for about two hours, with traffic detoured into the city, the patrol said.

(Posted at 6:26 a.m.) BEAVERDAM, Ohio An 18-year-old Dayton woman was in critical condition last night after the car she was driving rolled over at least twice on I-75 north of Lima in Allen County about noon yesterday, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol. Dana R. Wilson was northbound on I-75 about a mile north of Beaverdam in Richland Township when the car went of the left side of the highway into the median, a dispatcher at the patrol s Lima post said.