Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake Strikes Peru, Leaving One Dead and Several Injured

A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Peru on Sunday morning, killing at least one person and injuring five others, according to Peruvian authorities. The tremor, which rattled buildings and sent residents into the streets, was widely felt across the capital city of Lima.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake occurred at 11:35am local time (16:35 GMT) in the Pacific Ocean, with its epicenter located 23 kilometers (14 miles) southwest of Callao, a port city adjacent to Lima. The Peruvian government, however, recorded the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.1.

No tsunami warning was issued following the quake.

President Dina Boluarte traveled to Callao shortly after the quake to assess the situation and monitor conditions along the coast, according to a statement posted on X by the Peruvian presidency.

Police Colonel Ramiro Clauco told local media that a 36-year-old man was killed in northern Lima while standing beside his car. He was struck by debris during the quake. The Emergency Operations Centre later confirmed that five people were injured and are currently receiving hospital care. Several roads and educational facilities were also reported damaged.

“All districts in Lima felt the earthquake,” said Hernando Tavera, executive president of the Geophysical Institute of Peru, in an interview with local television station N.

The tremor also led to the cancellation of a major football match scheduled to be held in Lima, local radio reported.

Peru is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active region that experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country averages at least 100 detectable quakes each year.

The most recent major earthquake in Peru occurred in 2021 in the Amazon region. That 7.5 magnitude quake injured 12 people and destroyed over 70 homes. The deadliest earthquake in the country’s history struck the Ancash region in 1970, triggering massive landslides and claiming approximately 70,000 lives.

With input from Al Jazeera