Horror as ferocious 7.2 earthquake rocks holiday hotspot filled with Brits
A huge earthquake has rocked Peru as the city of Ica faces the brunt of the 7.2 magnitude tremors. The quake struck at a depth of 66km, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), and 38km north-west of Upahuacho. Videos shared on X appeared to show landslides and avalanches in the Ayacucho area.
There have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties, but authorities are assessing the situation. Around 50,000 to 70,000 British tourists visit Peru each year, though it's not yet clear whether any Brits have been affected by the earthquake.
Earthquakes are frequent in Peru which is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area of frequent seismic activity.
Luis Vásquez, head of Civil Defense, told reporters that two people were injured while evacuating their homes during the earthquake in Coracora, the capital of Parinacochas province.
Authorities also reported damage to 22 homes, six health centers and a school across several districts in Ayacucho and Cusco, including the towns of Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro and Pichari.
The head of the Geophysical Institute of Peru said the depth of the earthquake prevented major damage.
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Authorities have reported no immediate casualties or damage.
Earthquakes in Peru are common because the country lies in a seismic zone. The Nazca and South American tectonic plates meet near the Peruvian coast. The South American plate is moving over the Nazca plate at a rate of 77mm per year.
These earthquakes occur as thrust faulting on the interface between the two plates, with the South American plate moving towards the sea over the Nazca plate.
The same process caused the rise of the Andes mountain range, the creation of the Peru–Chile Trench, and volcanism in the Peruvian highlands.
Express health editor Hanna Geissler is on holiday in Cusco, southeastern Peru, where she felt the earthquake. She said: “We were wandering around the old town and had stopped to check directions when the ground started shaking beneath our feet.
"We looked around and realised the buildings were quivering too. We heard lots of dogs barking. It only lasted a few seconds. My friend initially thought she had just suffered a moment of altitude sickness.
"Locals were getting out of their cars and taking about the earthquake. I don’t speak Spanish so we were communicating with hand gestures. We haven’t seen any damage to buildings yet, thankfully."
A video posted to X appears to show people on top of a mountain in Ayacucho following the earthquake.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake shook Peru’s southern Andes Mountains on Thursday, according to the US Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage.
The USGS said the quake occurred at 1 pm local time (18:00 GMT) and was centred 38 kilometres (24 miles) northwest of the city of Upahuacho, in the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region. It had a depth of 66 kilometres (41 miles).
The Peruvian Navy has said there is no tsunami threat.
Luis Vásquez, head of Civil Defence, told local radio station RPP that "no damage of any kind has been reported so far". Yony Reyes, mayor of Parinacochas province, said there also were no reports of damage in the provincial capital.
A video shared on X shows people running out into the streets amid the earthquake as they appear to be trying to avoid potential damage to buildings.
\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddea\ud83d\udea8 ABRAZADOS ANTE EL TERREMOTO de 7.2 en Ayacucho con profundidad de 108 km, que hizo correr a las calles a las familias de dicha regi\u00f3n en la sierra del Per\u00fa. pic.twitter.com/x0iI7vxYMY
A video shared on X appears to show a school being evacuated due to the earthquake.
\ud83d\udd34 BREAKING: Video shows the aftermath inside a school in Ayacucho, Peru \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddea following the powerful M7.2 earthquake that struck the region on Thursday.
pic.twitter.com/qKP5pHyBxB
The USGS said: "Little or no liquefaction is expected, but some liquefaction could have occurred in highly susceptible areas."
Liquefaction is a physical process in which solid-like material, most commonly water-saturated soil during an earthquake or a gas turning into a liquid under cooling and pressure, loses strength and behaves like a thick fluid.
The epicentre was initially determined to be at 14.74 degrees south latitude and 73.89 degrees west longitude, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences.
Videos shared on X appear to show an avalanche in the Ayacucho following the earthquake.
WATCH: Video from Ayacucho, Peru, after a M6.8 earthquake (terremoto) struck, according to the USGS. pic.twitter.com/G6miDWGE6x
The USGS said: "Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses."
Videos shared on X appear to show landslides in the Ayacucho area following the earthquake.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said: "Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and reinforced/confined masonry construction."
The earthquake struck near the city of Ica, in the south of the country.
Good evening and welcome to our coverage of the earthquake in Peru. Follow along for all the latest updates.