More than 380 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured after a powerful earthquake hit Peru’s coast near the capital, toppling buildings and setting off landslides.

A state of emergency has been declared after the towns of Pisco, Chincha, and other localities in Peru’s southern coastal region were said to be in ruins.

Juan Mendoza the mayor of Pisco, said dozens of bodies were scattered on the streets and at least 200 people were buried under the rubble of a collapsed church where they were attending a service.

“The dead are scattered by the dozens on the streets,” a sobbing Mr Mendoza told LIma radio station CPN. “We don’t have lights, water, communications. Most houses have fallen, churches, stores, hotels, everything is destroyed.”

Ica, a city of 650,000 people was worst hit by the earthquake, which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale.

The earthquake, which struck at 6.40pm (11.40pm GMT) about 90 miles southeast of Lima, is the biggest to hit the South American nation in decades.

Aristides Mussio, the Civil Defense Commander, said one person was killed in Lima and 336 in the region of Ica. Roberto Ocana, head of the country's firefighter service said today that at least 387 people had been killed and some 1,050 injured.

News reports said dozens of people were crowding hospitals seeking help even though the buildings had cracks and other structural damage.

State doctors called off a national strike that began on Wednesday to handle the emergency.

Deputy Health Minister Jose Calderon called the situation “dramatic”. He encouraged Peruvians to donate blood for the injured and said a convoy of doctors and nurses was headed to the Ica area.

The government rushed police, soldiers, doctors and aid to Ica, but an APTN cameraman trying to reach the city reported that traffic was paralyzed on the Pan American Highway by giant cracks in the pavement and fallen power lines. He said hundreds of vehicles were backed up.

The US Geological Survey said Wednesday’s powerful earthquake hit at a depth of about 25 miles (40 kilometers). Four strong aftershocks ranging from magnitudes of 5.4 to 5.9 were felt afterward.

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