Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-ir) -- The earthquake that hit Peru last night, a 7.9 on the Richter scale, toppled many house and buildings in the areas of Pisco, about 160 miles (258 kilometers) south of Lima, Cañete and Ica.

Unfortunately one of the buildings that was destroyed was the Tambo de Mora Penitentiary in Chincha, Ica, Peru.

Vice president of Peru's Penitentiary Institute (INPE), Manuel Aguilar, has confirmed that 600 prisoners escaped from the prison when its walls collapsed during the earthquake last night.

Aguilar reported that up until now, of the 600 escaped, 29 have been captured and transferred to a prison in Cañete to ensure citizen safety.

"Tambo de Mora prison has collapsed and only 29 of its inmates have been captured, all of which have been transferred to Cañete," stated Agilar. He also confirmed that parts of the prison in Ica have collapsed, but that prisoners did not escape due the a higher level of security.

"In Ica not one prisoner has escaped because security measures, with the help of [Peru's National] Police were taken. A special unit of anti-riot officers has traveled to Ica," stated the vice president of Peru's Penitentiary Institute.