Two large quakes strike Peru-Chile border area

Two strong earthquakes registering a magnitude of 5.9 struck an area near the Peru-Chile border on Monday, the United States Geological Survey reported.

The USGS said the first tremor occurred at 1000 GMT in Peru, 32 miles west-south-west of the town of Moquegua at a depth of 39.8 miles.

Seconds later, a quake also measuring 5.9 struck over the border in Chile -- 45 miles east-south-east of the Peruvian town of Tacma. That tremor was recorded at a depth of 13.9 miles and was initially recorded at a magnitude of 6.0.