At least six people have been killed and 21 others injured after two earthquakes struck a mountainous region in central Peru, causing widespread damage to homes and leaving hundreds of residents affected.
According to Peru’s National Civil Defence authorities, the earthquakes struck on Saturday night in Chupaca Province, located in the Junín region about 300 kilometres east of the capital, Lima. Earthquakes remain a frequent threat in Peru due to its location along one of the world’s most active seismic zones.
Peru’s National Seismological Centre reported that the first earthquake measured magnitude 5.1 and struck at a depth of 24 kilometres, while a second magnitude 3.7 tremor followed shortly afterwards at a depth of 18 kilometres. However, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre earlier estimated the first quake at magnitude 5.6.
National Civil Defence Institute chief Luis Vásquez said preliminary assessments indicate that at least 48 homes were completely destroyed, while another 18 suffered damage.
The destruction has affected around 300 residents, many of whom have been provided with temporary shelter, including tents, as emergency assistance continues.
Most homes in the affected communities were built using adobe bricks, making them particularly vulnerable to strong ground shaking.
Emergency responders, including firefighters and rescue teams, arrived in the disaster zone early on Sunday to clear debris and search for anyone who may still be trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Authorities warned that rescue operations remain ongoing as the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Peru is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region responsible for about 85 per cent of the world’s seismic activity, making earthquakes a common natural hazard across the country.
