In brief
A sharp quake just over 60 miles deep struck near Aniso in Peru’s southern Ayacucho region on Thursday, registering a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter scale. Emergency officials reported at least three injuries, damage to 22 homes and six schools, and interruptions to power services for around 9,000 properties. Hospitals across Ayacucho and in neighboring Cusco suffered damage but remained operational. While the US Geological Survey logged the tremor as 6.7, Peru’s Geophysical Institute recorded it at 7.2, underscoring the region’s ongoing vulnerability to seismic activity. The quake was felt as far as Lima, about 300 miles away, adding to a string of recent devastating earthquakes that shook Colombia and Venezuela.
A 6.7‑magnitude earthquake struck the remote Andes region of Aniso in Peru’s southern Ayacucho on Thursday, with the US Geological Survey reporting a depth of 62 miles (100 km). Emergency services said at least three people were injured and dozens of residences and schools suffered damage.
Peru’s Defence Minister Rafael Belaunde confirmed that 22 homes and six schools were damaged and that hospitals in the Ayacucho region and two in nearby Cusco were affected, although medical services continued. Nearly 9,000 properties lost power after the quake, according to the National Institute of Civil Defence.
Scientists noted that the tremors were felt across large parts of the country, with residents in Lima, 300 miles away, reporting the shake. While the USGS recorded the event as 6.7, the Geophysical Institute of Peru listed it at 7.2, highlighting the strong seismic force.
The quake adds to a series of powerful earthquakes that have rattled the region this year, including a 7.4‑magnitude strike in Colombia that killed over 300 people and twin 7.2‑ and 7.5‑magnitude quakes in Venezuela that claimed more than 6,000 lives.
