Five people have been killed and 21 others injured after a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Andes region of Peru, authorities have confirmed.
According to the Geophysics Institute of Peru, the earthquake struck on Saturday night near the town of Chongos Bajo, about 300 kilometres east of the capital, Lima. The tremor originated at a shallow depth of 24 kilometres, increasing its impact on nearby communities.
Residents described scenes of devastation as homes collapsed.
“The earthquake destroyed our home. Here there are many adobe houses that collapsed,” a resident of Chongos Bajo told N television network.
General Luis Vasquez, director of Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute, said the shallow depth of the quake, combined with the fragile construction of many homes built from adobe or the traditional wood, cane and mud mixture known as quincha, contributed to the widespread destruction.
He said 48 houses were destroyed, leaving about 300 people homeless.
Peru lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most seismically active zones, where frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity occur due to tectonic plate movements.
Seismologists estimate that Peru experiences at least 400 earthquakes each year, although around three-quarters are too weak to be felt by residents.
