Moderate Earthquake in Peru's Central Andes Kills Five, Displaces About 300

Overview

• A shallow earthquake struck near Sicaya and Chongos Bajo on Saturday night, producing at least five confirmed deaths, about 21 injured people, and roughly 300 people left without homes.
• Local officials report about 48 houses destroyed and dozens more damaged, with residents sheltering outdoors and regional authorities supplying tents and blankets.
• Search-and-rescue teams and emergency crews are operating in the hardest-hit areas and the number of missing remains unknown as field assessments continue.
• Peruvian seismologists linked the quake to reactivation of the Altos del Mantaro fault and recorded about a dozen mostly low-magnitude aftershocks, while agencies still show differing magnitude and depth estimates.
• The event highlights Peru’s high seismic risk and the particular vulnerability of rural adobe and quincha buildings, which tend to collapse in shallow quakes and drive urgent humanitarian needs.