A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck the southern Andes Mountains in Peru, causing injuries to two individuals and significant damage to homes, health facilities, and schools, as confirmed by authorities. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake occurred at 1 p.m. local time, with its epicenter located 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho city in the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region, at a depth of 66 kilometers.
The impact of the earthquake was widely felt across various southern regions of Peru, including Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, Cusco, and even in the capital city of Lima. Luis Vasquez, the Civil Defence chief, informed the media that two individuals sustained injuries while evacuating their residences during the tremor in Coracora, the principal town of the Parinacochas province.
Authorities also noted significant damage to 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 activity due to its location within the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” Notably, in 2007, a devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region resulted in the tragic loss of nearly 600 lives.