A seismic event measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale rattled the southern Andes Mountains of Peru on Thursday, as confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Initial assessments indicated no immediate incidents of damage.
The USGS pinpointed the quake’s epicenter at a location 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho city within the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region. The tremor, occurring at 1 p.m. local time, had a depth of 66 kilometers.
Reports indicated that the earthquake’s impact was felt across various regions in southern Peru, including Ica and Arequipa.
Luis Vasquez, in charge of Civil Defence, reassured the public via a local radio station, stating that there had been no reported instances of damage thus far.
Parinacochas province’s mayor, Yony Reyes, echoed the sentiment, confirming no damage had been reported in the provincial capital. The Peruvian Navy also confirmed that there was no imminent threat of a tsunami.
Peru, situated within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent seismic events. A tragic reminder of this occurred in 2007 when a devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region claimed the lives of nearly 600 individuals.