Strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake strikes southern Peru, damaging homes and schools

A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck southern Peru on Thursday, US seismologists said, with authorities reporting minor injuries to three people, according to a preliminary report.

The epicentre of the quake was located about 40 kilometres northwest of Upahuacho, and nearly 800 kilometres from the capital Lima. It struck at 1pm local time, at a depth of 99 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Peru's earthquake follows two major quakes in the region since June: a double earthquake in Venezuela on June 24 that killed over 6,400 people and a powerful tremor in Colombia last week that left nearly 300 people dead.

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In Peru, at least 22 homes, six schools and 12 medical centres have been impacted by the quake, the preliminary report found, as officials continue making damage assessments.

The Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP) put the magnitude at 7.2 and said the quake occurred at a depth of 108 kilometres.

Local population evacuated

Emergency teams have been deployed to the Andean towns of Puquio and Coracora.

Images broadcast by Peruvian media showed rocks and earth tumbling down hills around Coracora in Ayacucho region, the closest town to the epicentre, which has a population of about 10,000.

"The population has responded. They evacuated and took shelter," the town's mayor Yony Odon told state television in a telephone call, saying he was hopeful there was no major damage.

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The earthquake "was felt with moderate to strong intensity in several departments," the National Institute of Civil Defence wrote on X.

A 4.2-magnitude aftershock was also felt at 4:30 pm local time, the IGP reported.

The tremor was also felt in Cusco, Arequipa and even Lima, although with lesser intensity, AFP journalists said.