6.7-magnitude earthquake strikes southern Peru, injuring three and damaging buildings

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck southern Peru on Thursday afternoon, causing damage to homes, schools and medical centres and prompting emergency deployments to affected towns. The quake was felt across a wide area, including the capital, Lima, according to preliminary reports. Authorities said three people were injured in the tremor.

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The earthquake hit at about 1pm local time and was centred around 40 kilometres northwest of Upahuacho, nearly 800 kilometres from Lima. The United States Geological Survey said the quake had a depth of 99 kilometres, while the Geophysical Institute of Peru put the magnitude at 7.2 and the depth at 108 kilometres. The difference in early readings is common in the first hours after a seismic event, when agencies continue to refine their measurements.

Preliminary assessments said at least 22 homes, six schools and 12 medical centres were affected. Emergency teams were deployed to the Andean towns of Puquio and Coracora as officials continued to assess the scale of the damage. Local media images showed rocks and earth falling from hills around Coracora in the Ayacucho region, which is close to the epicentre and has a population of about 10,000.

The quake matters because southern Peru sits in one of the world's most active seismic zones, where strong tremors are a recurring risk. Peru lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, and earthquakes there can affect remote Andean communities as well as larger urban centres. In this case, the fact that the tremor was felt in Lima underlines how widely seismic waves can travel from a deep earthquake.

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The National Institute of Civil Defence said the shaking was felt with moderate to strong intensity in several departments. Coracora's mayor, Yony Odon, said residents evacuated and took shelter, and expressed hope that there was no major damage. The report also noted a 4.2-magnitude aftershock at 4:30pm local time, adding to concerns as teams checked for further impacts.

Officials are still carrying out damage assessments, and the final toll may change as more information comes in from rural areas. It remains unclear whether there are any more serious injuries or structural failures beyond the preliminary reports. The main focus now is on verifying the extent of damage in Puquio, Coracora and surrounding districts, and on whether aftershocks will complicate response efforts.

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