A seismic event of magnitude 6.7 rattled the southern Andes Mountains in Peru, causing injuries to two individuals and substantial damage to residences, medical facilities, and educational institutions, as confirmed by authorities. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) pinpointed the earthquake’s epicenter at a location 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho city in the Parinacochas province within the Ayacucho region. The seismic activity occurred at 1 p.m. local time and reached a depth of 66 kilometers.
The earthquake’s tremors were felt across various regions in southern Peru, including Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac, Cusco, and even 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 principal city in the Parinacochas province.
Additionally, authorities documented structural damage to 22 houses, six medical facilities, and a school in multiple districts spanning Ayacucho and Cusco, encompassing Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro, and Pichari. Peru encounters frequent seismic events due to its location within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for high seismicity. Notably, in 2007, a devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region resulted in the loss of nearly 600 lives.