Hundreds have died from Peru's magnitude-8.0 earthquake including an estimated 200 funeral mass attendants who died when the church roof collapsed. What was not lost, however, was the faith of many surviving believers.
Coffins lay strewn in the streets as nearby rescuers dug among the rubble of San Clemente church in hard-hit downtown Pisco, Peru. Despite overwhelming devastation and mourning, nuns and a priest stood quietly and calmly outside the ruins of the 300-year-old church waiting for word of two of their sisters who were buried in the rubble, reported CNN correspondent Harris Whitbeck."I couldn't understand how this man and these women of the cloth could remain so calm, their faith so apparently unshaken while they contemplated the ruins of the church and the loss of people so dear to them," said Whitebeck. "I asked them about that faith."
The priest responded, "It's difficult times like this that it exists."
Last week's magnitude-8.0 quake, which struck the southern coast of Peru Wednesday evening, killed at least 540 people and injured another 1,500 people. The quake - said to be the worst in over 30 years - left the only highway on the coast severely damage, cut off electricity and water, and downed phone services in most of southern Peru.
From the ruins of the collapsed Pisco church, 148 bodies had been removed, said firefighter Guillermo Merino, according to the Associated Press. Included in that figure were the entire church choir and 15 family members of the deceased, CNN reported.
"The group spent hours waiting in the dark, cold night and into the morning never questioning - simply accepting what was and never doubting that their church would some day be rebuilt," reported the CNN correspondent in amazement.
Meanwhile, in other parts of Pisco, the situation was desperate and more chaotic with reports of rampant looting. Tens of thousands had no access to fresh water and many in rural communities still had not been reached by rescuers, according to The Associated Press.
