Peru Earth Quake Injures 27 in Ica Region

A 5.8-magnitude earth quake struck southern Peru late Tuesday, injuring at least 27 people and damaging buildings in the Ica region. The quake hit the Pacific region near the town of Pampa de Tate, and no deaths were reported.

Ica and Pampa de Tate

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter was 20 kilometers east-southeast of Pampa de Tate, about 12.4 miles from the town, at a depth of 56.5 kilometers, or 35 miles. Those figures place the shaking squarely in the part of Peru where the damage was reported, including the city of Ica.

The injury count gives the clearest measure of the quake’s immediate toll. At least 27 people were hurt, and the damaged buildings add a second layer of disruption for residents and institutions in the area.

Amadeo Flores in Ica

Peruvian Defense Minister Amadeo Flores visited the city of Ica after the earthquake and went to damaged buildings, including San Luis Gonzaga University. His visit brought the response directly to the sites where the quake’s effects were visible, rather than leaving the damage to be assessed from afar.

Peru lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes are common, and this event fits that pattern. The practical question for people in Ica is whether damaged buildings can be used safely and how quickly repairs and inspections will move through the hardest-hit locations.

With no deaths reported, attention now shifts to the condition of the damaged buildings and the repairs that follow in Ica, especially at San Luis Gonzaga University and other affected sites.