Looting in wake of quake

Peru's President vowed to take tough action against looters in the wake of Thursday's devastating earthquake which has claimed 540 lives.

The Government sent more troops to stem the looting as desperate families huddled in makeshift shelters and hope diminished for rescuers searching mountains of rubble with sound detectors and infrared cameras.

President Alan Garcia vowed to re-establish order in areas hit by the magnitude-8 quake "regardless of what it costs", sending an extra 1000 soldiers to area.