A seismic event measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck the southern Andes Mountains of Peru on Thursday, causing injuries to at least two individuals and significant structural damage to residences, medical facilities, and educational institutions, as per official reports. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicated 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 tremor was felt across various regions in southern Peru, including Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, Cusco, and even in the country’s capital, Lima. Civil Defence chief Luis Vasquez mentioned that two individuals sustained injuries while evacuating their residences in Coracora, the primary town of Parinacochas province.
Reports from authorities also highlighted the destruction of 22 houses, six medical facilities, and a school in different districts of Ayacucho and Cusco, encompassing Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro, and Pichari. Peru, being situated within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent seismic events. Notably, in 2007, a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 in the Ica region claimed the lives of nearly 600 individuals.