Earthquake in central Peru - at least five dead, dozens of houses destroyed

An earthquake with a magnitude of about 5.5–5.6 struck central Peru, killing at least five people and destroying dozens of homes. This was reported by UNN citing Reuters.

Details

The tremors were recorded in the Junín region. The epicenter of the earthquake, according to preliminary data, was located near the province of Huancayo, close to Chupaca and the settlements of the Mantaro Valley.

The hardest hit was the Pumpunya area in the Chongos Bajo district. There, dozens of residential buildings collapsed, and people may have been trapped under the rubble. The death toll rose to at least five during rescue operations.

Strong tremors were felt in Huancayo, Concepción, Jauja, and other settlements in the Mantaro Valley. Power outages were reported in the affected areas. There were also reports of livestock deaths due to building collapses.

Several aftershocks were recorded in the region after the main earthquake. Rescue and emergency services continue to assess the extent of the damage and inspect the condition of residential buildings, infrastructure, and other facilities.

According to preliminary data, there is no tsunami threat from the earthquake.

Context

Peru has suffered from powerful earthquakes before.

The most famous of these, the Great Peruvian Earthquake, occurred on May 31, 1970. It struck 35 km off the coast of Peru and lasted about 45 seconds. The earthquake affected the Ancash and La Libertad regions. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.9 and an intensity of VIII on the Mercalli scale.

It destroyed local communication, transport, and trade infrastructure. Economic losses amounted to over half a billion US dollars. Settlements, as well as homes, public institutions, educational facilities, and industry, were destroyed or severely damaged.

Every year on May 31, earthquake preparedness drills are held in Peruvian schools in memory of this catastrophe.

And on May 21, 2026, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 was recorded in southern Peru. 27 people were injured, according to the Associated Press. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 20 km east-southeast of the town of Pampa de Tate.

Tremors were also recorded on June 16, 2026. Then, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 occurred near the central coast of Peru, killing one person and injuring five others.

Recall

On July 8, 2024, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 occurred off the coast of Peru, 74 kilometers south of the Lomas district in the Arequipa region at a depth of 32 km.