A powerful 6.7 magnitude earthquake rattled the southern Andes Mountains in Peru, causing injuries to at least two individuals and significant damage to residences, medical facilities, and educational institutions, as confirmed by authorities. The seismic event, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), occurred at 1 p.m. local time with its epicenter located 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho city in the Parinacochas province of Ayacucho, at a depth of 66 kilometers.
The earthquake’s effects were felt across various regions in southern Peru, spanning Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, and Cusco, in addition to the capital city of Lima. Civil Defence chief Luis Vasquez disclosed that two individuals sustained injuries while fleeing their residences in Coracora, the capital of the Parinacochas province.
Significant structural damages were reported, including 22 residences, six medical facilities, and a school in multiple districts of Ayacucho and Cusco, encompassing Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro, and Pichari. Peru experiences frequent seismic activities due to its location in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for high tectonic plate movement.
The seismic history of Peru includes a devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake in 2007 in the Ica region that claimed the lives of nearly 600 people.