A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck southern Peru on Thursday afternoon, the Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) reported. Its epicenter was 35 kilometers north of Coracora, a town in the Ayacucho region, at a depth of 108 kilometers. The tremor was felt across several departments, from Lima to Puno, with reports also coming from Ica. IGP head Hernando Tavera said the quake’s magnitude and depth carried the shaking to distant places such as Ica and Puno. Deep earthquakes can be felt over a wider area than shallow ones, helping explain reports from beyond the epicentral zone.
The IGP’s Centro Sismológico Nacional (CENSIS) recorded the event and monitored its progress as authorities assessed the effects. The Centro de Operaciones de Emergencia Nacional confirmed that monitoring had been stepped up in vulnerable areas. Initial reports described cracks and fissures in some buildings in Ayacucho; assessments remained preliminary, with no official reports of casualties or major damage. Coracora, in Parinacochas province, is home to approximately 14,000 residents, information from recent census data.
Authorities said no tsunami alert had been issued after the earthquake. The epicenter’s inland location and the quake’s focal depth were among the event’s characteristics, while tsunami assessments remained the responsibility of competent warning authorities. The response helped address concerns in neighboring regions, where seismic activity can raise fears of secondary hazards. The event has drawn comparisons with other recent seismic incidents, including the series of tremors that led to building inspections and evacuations in Granada, Spain, as detailed in a previous report on overnight earthquakes in Granada.
Peru lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of frequent seismic activity. Through CENSIS, the IGP monitors seismic activity nationwide and publishes each earthquake’s time and location, along with its magnitude and depth, to track events and subsequent tremors. Local authorities urged residents to remain calm and follow official instructions as inspections and monitoring continued. The situation was still developing, and agencies continued to assess affected communities.
