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Early Sunday morning at 04.18 am local time a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shock southern Peru killing at least 2 people and causing damages to infrastructure and homes.
According to the US Geological Survey the epicenter of the quake was near the coast of Peru about 40 km (25 miles) south-southwest of Acari. Regions most affected by the tremor are Arequipa, Ica and Ayacucho, but the shaking could be felt as far as Lima which is located about 600 km (370 miles) north.
As far as known at the moment 2 people lost their lives, 65 people in the Arequipa, Ayacucho and Ica regions were injured and 17 are still missing after an informal mine collapsed east of the coastal city of Chala.
Numerous houses and roads, including the PanAmerican highway in the area were damaged by the quake, rocks and falling debris. According to Peruvian authorities the death and injury toll could rise, and the full extent of the damages will only become known in the coming days.
Luckily, despite earlier warnings, the earthquake didn’t produce a tsunami. The airports in Arequipa and Pisco operate as usual.
Learn more about earthquakes in Peru and how to stay safe in our Travel Tips and Safety Advice Series Part 8 "Earthquakes in Peru – Why they occur and how to stay safe"
