An intense 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of southern Peru during the night on Friday, with a depth of 28 kilometers (17 miles), as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGC). The epicenter of the quake was located 8 kilometers (5 miles) west of Atiquipa, approximately 600 kilometers (372 miles) south of the capital city, Lima.
Residents in Atiquipa took to social media to share their experiences of feeling a powerful and prolonged tremor that caused their beds to shake. CCTV footage from the nearby town of Caraveli captured the moment when the quake struck, showing a residential street shaking violently as people emerged from their homes.
The impact of the earthquake was felt as far as Lima, where videos posted on social media depicted lamps swaying inside houses. Fortunately, there have been no reported deaths following the quake, according to Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen. He mentioned that preliminary reports indicate no casualties, and authorities are assessing any potential damage to infrastructure.
The Peruvian Presidency stated that the government is actively monitoring the situation and evaluating the extent of any possible destruction caused by the earthquake. Initially, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued an alert cautioning about potential tsunami waves of 1 to 3 meters along certain coastal areas in Peru. However, the PTWC later retracted the alert, confirming that there was no longer a threat of a tsunami.
Peru, along with most of the South American Pacific Coast, lies on the boundary of two tectonic plates: the South American plate, covering a significant portion of the continent, and the Nazca plate, which stretches across the Pacific along most of the coast. This geological setting makes the region prone to seismic activity and earthquakes.
