Peru earthquake today: 25 injured and buildings damaged in Ancash
The Ancash region north of the capital Lima experienced a harrowing night, as a magnitude 6 earthquake injured at least 25 people, caused panic among residents, and damaged vital infrastructure, including the region's main hospital, Peruvian authorities announced on Sunday.
Details of the earthquake and its timing
Official authorities stated that the earthquake struck late Saturday evening, specifically at 9:51 PM local time (2:51 AM Sunday GMT). The epicenter was located off the coast of Chimbote, a major industrial port city with a population of approximately half a million. The strong tremor was felt by residents, prompting many to flee into the streets for fear of collapsing buildings or aftershocks.
Toll of injuries and material damage
In an official statement, the Peruvian Ministry of Health confirmed that the earthquake injured 25 people. The statement indicated that 12 of the injured required hospitalization, while 13 others received first aid and were discharged. The damage was not limited to human casualties; local media showed cracks in the walls of the main hospital in Chimbote, as well as damage to several schools and residential buildings. Social media platforms also circulated videos documenting the terrifying moments, showing merchandise from shops and supermarkets scattered on the ground by the force of the tremors.
Peru and the Ring of Fire: An Important Geological Context
It is essential to understand the geographical and geological context of this event, as Peru lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire. This region is a broad arc stretching along the western coasts of the Americas and across Asia and Japan, characterized by extremely intense seismic and volcanic activity resulting from the continuous movement of tectonic plates. Due to this sensitive geographical location, Peru experiences an average of 100 perceptible earthquakes annually, making disaster preparedness a part of daily life for its inhabitants. However, earthquakes exceeding magnitude 6 remain a major concern due to their destructive potential.
A painful historical memory in Ankash
The inhabitants of the Ancash region, in particular, carry a painful memory of earthquakes, which explains the panic that grips them with every tremor. In 1970, the same region experienced one of the deadliest earthquakes in Latin American history, a devastating quake and subsequent avalanches that killed approximately 67,000 people and wiped entire cities off the map. This historical background keeps the authorities and residents of the region on constant alert and underscores the importance of upgrading infrastructure to withstand the frequent earthquakes in this seismically active part of the world.
