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CNN Live At Daybreak

Peru Deals With Earthquake, Spy Chief Capture

Aired June 25, 2001 - 07:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: In Peru this morning, officials are beginning to realize the magnitude of this weekend's earthquake while they tend to the injured and the homeless there.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck joins us on the phone right now. He is in Lima, Peru and has the very latest.

Harris, what do you have on this earthquake?

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Linda, Civil Defense officials here have now put the death toll to 71. Over 1,000 people were injured. And over 10,000 people lost their homes in Saturday afternoon's quake.

The efforts are still centered around trying to reach some of the outlying areas in Southern Peru that were hit by this earthquake. Many of the roads in that part of the country were cut off by landslides. And the concern, also, is getting temporary shelter for many of the people who lost their homes. This is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. And, obviously, people are sleeping out in the open in extremely cold temperatures is a major concern for the authorities here.

STOUFFER: And Harris, I know we're keeping you very busy. You're following another breaking story there too. What's the headline out of that?

WHITBECK: Well Peru's former spy chief, Vladimiro Montesinos, is on his way back to Peru after having been captured by authorities in Venezuela. His capture has really galvanized the country. Montesinos is accused of having amassed a considerable amount of power and money through corruption and drug trafficking over the years.

He -- the plane carrying him will be landing in Lima in about two hours. He will be held at a maximum security prison at the naval base here. And many say here that this capture -- in fact, current president -- Peruvian President Paniagua said that the capture of Montesinos is the first step towards their new moralization of the country.

STOUFFER: And we, of course, will be following that as he lands.

Harris Whitbeck with the latest on both those stories, thank you.

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