Magnitude 6.7 Quake Rocks Peru's Southern Andes
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit Peru's southern Andes on Thursday, centered near Upahuacho. No immediate damage or casualties were reported.
A powerful earthquake struck Peru's southern Andes on Thursday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor, measured at magnitude 6.7, occurred at 1 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT) and was centered approximately 38 kilometers (24 miles) northwest of the town of Upahuacho, in the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region.
The quake had a depth of 66.7 kilometers, the USGS reported. Shaking was felt across several southern Peruvian regions, including Ica and Arequipa, though no immediate reports of damage or casualties have emerged.
Peru sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped zone of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide. Earthquakes are a recurring occurrence in the country, which has a history of devastating tremors. In 2007, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region killed nearly 600 people, underscoring the region's vulnerability to seismic events.
Authorities have not yet issued any tsunami warnings or evacuation orders in connection with Thursday's quake. The full extent of any impact remains unclear as assessments continue in the affected areas.