7.1 magnitude earthquake hits Peru
- Quake hit the south of the country, 67 km north-northwest of the city of Juliaca
- Struck at 3.50am local time (8.50am GMT) and was unusually deep at 258 km
- A destructive tsunami is not expected, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said
An earthquake with preliminary magnitude of 7.1 has struck southern Peru, 67km north-northwest of Juliaca, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The quake’s epicentre was 26km (16 miles) north-northeast of Azangaro and it was very deep at 257 km (160 miles).
The agency said most big quakes in South America occur at a depth of 70 kilometers or higher.
Based on all available data a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
The earthquake struck at 3.50am (8.50am GMT) and was felt across South America in neighbouring Brazil, Bolivia and Chile.
As of now there are no reports of injuries or damage. A video posted on Twitter showed a chandelier rocking back and forth during the powerful tremors.
Peru sits on on Earth’s so-called ‘Ring of Fire’ – a horseshoe-shaped geological disaster zone which sees 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes occur on it.
The seismic region stretches along the Pacific Ocean coastlines, where the Pacific Plate grinds against other plates that form the Earth’s crust.
Earthquakes are triggered when these plates scrape or slide underneath one another, and when that happens at sea it can spawn tsunamis.
Today’s earthquake comes just a week after a deep 7.5 magnitude quake struck the Peru-Ecuador border region.