Magnitude 7.0 earthquake hits Peru, no deaths reported

28/06/2024 09:47, Arequipa/Peru

(TAP) - A powerful earthquake of magnitude of 7.0 struck near the coast in southern Peru's Arequipa region on Friday, local officials said, adding no deaths had been reported.

The Chief of Disaster Risk Management and National Defense at the Ministry of Health, David Aponte, informed local radio station RPP of only three minor injuries.

Following the earthquake, Arequipa was hit by four aftershocks of 4 to 4.6 magnitude, causing some landslides on local roads.

The government said on social media it was monitoring to assess the damage and "determine the actions to be taken".

The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center had said there was a tsunami threat from the quake, adding waves of between 1 and 3 metres (9.84 ft) above the tide level had been recorded along some parts of Peru's coast.

Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen, however, said the tsunami warning on the coast of Arequipa had been discarded.

Carlos Zanabria, an adviser to the regional government of Arequipa, told local radio station RPP, material damage had been reported in some districts and residents had left their homes in fear, but he had heard no reports of death or injury.

Flavio Aranguren, the mayor of Yauca district in Arequipa's Caraveli province, told RPP some walls of houses in the district had collapsed. He also said no fatalities had been reported.

Small artisanal gold mines operate in the town of Yauca and other neighboring towns near the coast, but there was no information available so far about any impact.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).