President Hu Jintao on Thursday sent a message of condolence to his Peruvian counterpart Alan Garcia over a powerful earthquake which killed hundreds of people and caused a huge loss of properties.

Hu, who was in the Kyrgyz capital to attend the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), expressed his deep sympathy and sincere solicitude to President Garcia, the Peruvian government and the Peruvian people.

He expressed his belief that the Peruvian people, led by their government, will surely overcome the difficulties and rebuild their home after the earthquake.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi sent a similar message to his Peruvian counterpart Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde.

A magnitude-8.0 earthquake struck off Peru's Pacific coast on Wednesday, leaving at least 450 people dead and 1,500 others injured, said Peruvian officials.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2007)