A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck the southern Andes Mountains of Peru, causing injuries to two individuals and significant damage to homes, health facilities, and schools, as reported by authorities. The seismic event, pinpointed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), occurred at 1 p.m. local time and was centered 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho, situated in the Parinacochas province within the Ayacucho region, with a depth of 66 kilometers.
The impact of the earthquake was felt across various regions in southern Peru, including Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, Cusco, and even the capital city of Lima. In Coracora, the provincial capital of Parinacochas, two individuals sustained injuries while evacuating their residences during the seismic activity, as highlighted by Luis Vasquez, the Civil Defence chief.
Authorities also disclosed that the earthquake resulted in damage to 22 residences, six healthcare facilities, and a school spanning multiple districts in Ayacucho and Cusco, encompassing the localities of Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro, and Pichari. Peru, being situated within the seismic-active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” frequently experiences earthquakes.
Notably, Peru has a history of seismic events, with a devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region in 2007 claiming the lives of nearly 600 individuals.