7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Peru, Eight injured

AFP/APP
Lima: A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Peru early Friday, injuring eight people and causing brief tsunami concerns. According to the United States Geological Survey, the tremor occurred 8.8 kilometers (5.5 miles) from the southern region of Atiquipa. The quake was felt in Lima and across much of Peru’s southern and central coast.
The Peruvian health ministry reported on X that eight people were injured. Juan Aranguren, the mayor of southern Yauca, told local media that walls in his town collapsed and that a major highway running through the area suffered cracks. “The children were crying; the earthquake was felt strongly,” a local villager said.
Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen, speaking to RPP radio, reassured the public: “I want to convey calm. The earthquake has passed, we are making the first evaluations, and so far there are no fatalities.” The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially predicted “hazardous tsunami waves for some coasts,” but later declared the threat over.
Peru, home to around 33 million people, is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region of intense seismic activity along the west coast of the Americas. The country experiences hundreds of detectable earthquakes annually.