A 5.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Peru’s central Junín region late Saturday killed five people, injured 32 and affected about 200 more, according to Peruvian authorities.
The quake hit shortly after 9:20 pm local time, with its epicenter in the Andean province of Chupaca. An aftershock followed about 15 minutes later as emergency crews began assessing damage across the region.
Regional emergency authorities said the shaking was felt with light to moderate intensity across Junín. The Interior Ministry said more than 250 police officers and over 50 volunteer firefighters had joined the emergency response, conducting search and rescue operations, assisting affected residents and securing damaged areas. Army personnel also joined rescue operations.
President-elect Keiko Fujimori expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the earthquake and said all necessary resources should be deployed, according to a post on X.
Peru’s Health Ministry said the Regional Maternal and Children’s Hospital El Carmen suffered structural cracks in its pediatric intensive care unit, while the Daniel Alcides Carrión National Hospital and the Chupuro Health Center also sustained damage. Authorities have said 48 homes had collapsed, with damage assessments still underway.
The Energy and Mines Ministry said more than 400 electricity customers remained without power in the Junín as of Sunday, down from more than 61,000 initially affected.
Power distributor Electrocentro said the earthquake triggered automatic disconnections across multiple electricity feeders serving Huancayo, Chupaca and nearby districts. Emergency crews were deployed immediately to restore service, it said.
The earthquake comes as South America has been rattled by significant seismic events. Venezuela is still recovering from a powerful earthquake that killed thousands in late June, while a magnitude-7.4 quake struck Mexico’s southern state of Chiapas on Friday, causing structural damage but no reports of widespread casualties.
