A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck the southern Andes Mountains in Peru, causing injuries to two individuals and significant damage to homes, healthcare facilities, and schools, as confirmed by officials. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake occurred at 1 p.m. local time and was centered 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho city in the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region, with a depth of 66 kilometers.
The impact of the earthquake was widely felt in various regions of southern Peru, including Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, Cusco, and even in the capital city, Lima. Luis Vasquez, the head of Civil Defence, mentioned that two individuals sustained injuries while evacuating their residences during the seismic event in Coracora, the principal town of the Parinacochas province.
Authorities also disclosed that 22 homes, six healthcare facilities, and a school were damaged in multiple districts of Ayacucho and Cusco, encompassing Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro, and Pichari. Peru, situated in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent seismic activities, reflecting the country’s susceptibility to earthquakes. In a tragic incident in 2007, a powerful magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region led to the loss of nearly 600 lives.
