Nevada State Journal

June 11, 1970

Radio Operator Gets Messages From Peru

Sparks amateur radio opera­tor Roy McLellan said he has been receiving news of Peru's disastrous earthquake for nearly a week.

Another ham radio operator, George B. Criteser of Carson City, said last week it was im­possible to locate specific individuals for the delivery of pri­vate messages but was referring to messages for delivery inside the devastated area.

McLellan said that a Jesuit priest, Robert Beckman, baa been calling Lima from Huaraz, and he, McLellan, had been able to intercept the messages.

"Early reports that one or two hundred had been killed were obviously a gross under exaggeration," McLellan said, “as part of 2.300-foot Mount Huasaron split off and obliterated the entire village of Yungay."

He said it was indicated that only about 2,500 people of the 25,000 Yungay population had survived.

The Peruvian death toll has been estimated at more than 50,000 with another 25,000 home-less.

"Some radio operators in the East are contacting congressmen and asking them to rush help on a greater scale," McLellan said.