A magnitude 6.7 earthquake in Peru struck the Andes on Thursday, with its epicenter 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho in Parinacochas in the Ayacucho region. Authorities reported no damage or victims at the time, and the shaking was felt in Ica, Arequipa and Cusco.
USGS said the quake happened at 13:00 local time (18.00 GMT) at a depth of 66.7 kilometers. The Marina de Perú reported that there was no tsunami, which narrowed the immediate risk for residents along Pacífico-facing communities.
Parinacochas in the Ayacucho
Luis Vasquez, jefe de la Defensa Civil, told RPP that "al momento no se reporta ningún tipo de daño". Yony Reyes, alcalde de the province of Parinacochas, said there was no damage in the provincial capital, giving residents a first local check on the impact.
The quake reached Ica, Arequipa and Cusco, showing how a deep event in the Andes can travel beyond the area closest to the epicenter. Residents and authorities in those regions were left to check buildings, roads and public spaces after the shaking, even as the first reports pointed to no victims.
Pacific Ring of Fire
Perú sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes are frequent, and that is why a strong reading like 6.7 is followed closely even before damage reports come in. A 7.9 magnitude earthquake in a province of the Ica region in 2007 left almost 600 dead, which remains the clearest recent reference point in this country.
For now, the practical question for residents is whether later checks change the first assessment from Defensa Civil and local authorities. The first public signals from Luis Vasquez, Yony Reyes and the Marina de Perú pointed the same way: no damage reported, no tsunami, and no immediate casualty report.
