LIMA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A powerful earthquake measured locally at 7.7 magnitude and 7.5 by the U.S. Geological Survey hit Peru's southern coast on Wednesday evening, killing at least 15 people.

WMTW-TV Channel 8 reported at least 15 peopel were killed and about 200 other injured in the quake.

The quake struck at 6:41 p.m. (2341 GMT) about 150 kilometers southeast of the capital of Lima, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Local TV quoted Peru's geophysical institute as saying that the epicenter was 120 kilometers southwest of Lima.

The quake was followed by two strong aftershocks that registered at magnitudes 5.8 and 5.9 respectively, the U.S. Geological survey said.

Local TV reported the quake knocked out telephone serve and mobile phone service in Lima. Parts of several cities in southern Peru had been hit with blackouts.

Radio stations said there was a fire in a shopping center in the capital.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based in Hawaii has issued a tsunami warning for South America's Pacific coast based on the strength of the earthquake in Peru.

It also issued a tsunami advisory for the U.S. state of Hawaii.

"It is not known that a tsunami was generated" by the quake in Peru, the center said in a statement.


People try to make phone calls in Lima following a strong earthquake, 15 August, 2007. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)