SRINAGAR: At least five people were killed and more than 20 injured after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Peru’s Andes region late on Sunday, according to local authorities.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck at 9:24 pm local time, with its epicentre located 2 kilometres west-southwest of Sicaya in Huancayo province, at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Authorities said more than 300 people have been displaced, while the number of missing persons remains unknown.
Peru’s National Civil Defence Institute said several buildings either collapsed or sustained structural damage, including a local church and convent.
Local media footage showed residents gathered outdoors under blankets in the agricultural area of Chongo Bajo, one of the worst-affected locations, as rescue efforts continued. Images also showed homes reduced to rubble, with livestock trapped beneath the debris.
Emergency teams have been deployed to the affected areas, while authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage and search for any missing people.
Peru is highly prone to seismic activity as it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most active earthquake zones. In 2007, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Pisco province in the Ica region, killing nearly 600 people.
