A seismic event with a magnitude of 6.7 rattled the southern Andes Mountains in Peru on Thursday, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Initial feedback did not mention any significant destruction.
According to the USGS, the earthquake struck at 1 p.m. local time, with its epicenter located 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho city in the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region. The quake’s depth was measured at 66 kilometers.
Residents in various areas of southern Peru, including Ica and Arequipa, reported feeling the tremors. Luis Vasquez, in charge of Civil Defence, confirmed on a local radio station RPP that there have been no reports of damage thus far.
Parinacochas province mayor, Yony Reyes, also stated that there were no indications of damage in the provincial capital. The Peruvian Navy affirmed that there was no risk of a tsunami.
Peru encounters frequent seismic activities as it lies within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for regular tectonic movements. In 2007, a devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region resulted in the loss of nearly 600 lives.