A powerful earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale rocked the southern Andes Mountains in Peru, causing injuries to two individuals and widespread damage to homes, health facilities, and schools, as confirmed by authorities. The tremor, which struck at 1 p.m. local time, was pinpointed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to an epicenter 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 felt across various regions in southern Peru, including Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, Cusco, and even reaching the capital city of Lima. Civil Defence chief Luis Vasquez informed the media that two individuals sustained injuries while fleeing their residences in Coracora, the provincial capital of Parinacochas.
Reports from authorities indicated significant destruction, including 22 homes, six health facilities, and a school in multiple districts spanning Ayacucho and Cusco, encompassing Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro, and Pichari. Peru, situated within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent seismic events, with a notable earthquake disaster occurring in 2007 in the Ica region, claiming the lives of nearly 600 individuals.