LIMA, Peru — A 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Andes region of Peru, resulting in the deaths of at least five people, according to local authorities reported on Sunday. More than 20 individuals were injured, and around 300 have been displaced as a consequence.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stated that the tremor occurred on Saturday at 9:24 p.m. local time, centered 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) west-southwest of Sicaya in Huancayo province, at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles).
Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute indicated in a statement that the number of missing persons remains unclear.
Numerous structures collapsed or sustained damage, among them a local church and convent.
Footage from regional outlets showed distressed relatives in Chongo Bajo, a severely affected farming area, where residents wrapped in blankets waited outside ruined houses. Animals were also trapped beneath debris.
In 2007, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Pisco province in Ica, killing close to 600. Seismic events are common in Peru, which lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
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