Peugeot hit after Japan quake halts component supplies

PARIS: French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen has laid off several thousand workers temporarily after the massive earthquake in Japan hit component supplies, union and management said on Thursday.

Union sources said some 5,000 workers were affected at different company sites in France, with another 5,000 at subcontractors also hit.

The stoppage should be relatively short, management said.

"The situation ought to be back to normal within a week," a company spokesman said.

The huge March 11 earthquake and tsunami left some 27,000 people dead or missing and caused massive economic damage.