A powerful earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck the southern Andes Mountains of Peru, causing injuries to two individuals and substantial damage to residences, medical facilities, and schools, as per authorities. The seismic event, pinpointed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho city in the Ayacucho region’s Parinacochas province, transpired at 1 p.m. local time with a depth of 66 kilometers.

The tremor reverberated across various regions in southern Peru, namely Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, and Cusco, as well as reaching the capital city of Lima. Civil Defence chief Luis Vasquez confirmed that two individuals sustained injuries while fleeing their residences during the tremor in Coracora, the principal city of the Parinacochas province.

Additionally, authorities documented the destruction of 22 houses, six medical facilities, and a school in multiple districts of Ayacucho and Cusco, encompassing Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro, and Pichari. Peru, situated in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” encounters frequent seismic events due to its location.

Peru faced a devastating earthquake in 2007 when a magnitude 7.9 quake struck a region in Ica, leading to the loss of nearly 600 lives.