A seismic event with a magnitude of 6.7 rattled the southern Andes Mountains in Peru, causing injuries to two individuals and structural damage to residences, medical facilities, and educational institutions, as per official reports. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the earthquake struck at 1 p.m. local time, originating 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho city in the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region, with a depth of 66 kilometers.
The tremor was perceptible in various areas of southern Peru, encompassing Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, Cusco, and even the capital, Lima. Civil Defence spokesperson Luis Vasquez disclosed that two individuals sustained injuries while vacating their residences in Coracora, the principal town of the Parinacochas province.
Authorities documented damage to 22 houses, six medical facilities, and a school in multiple districts within Ayacucho and Cusco, including Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro, and Pichari. Peru encounters frequent seismic events due to its location within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” known for its high seismic activity. Notably, in 2007, a devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region resulted in the loss of nearly 600 lives.