Peru registers over 500 earthquakes this year, most without serious damage

Peru, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, has recorded over 500 seismic events this year, including a recent magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the southern Andes. While the quake caused damage to homes, a school, and a church in Coracora, its deep origin at 108 kilometers limited widespread destruction. Officials reported 498 people affected, one house destroyed, and six uninhabitable, along with damage to 21 schools and 26 health facilities in the Ayacucho region.

In contrast to the devastating impacts of recent earthquakes in Colombia and Venezuela, the Peruvian quake resulted in no fatalities and only three injuries. This is attributed to the earthquake's significant depth. The Peruvian Ministry of Housing confirmed damages in Coracora, a district in the Parinacochas province, and local authorities requested an emergency declaration to expedite rehabilitation efforts.

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The earthquake of 7.2 that was felt last Thursday in the southern Andes of Peru, without causing major damage due to the depth of its origin, is part of a chain of more than 500 seismic movements reported so far this year.

The National Seismological Center (CENSIS) has documented 568 earthquakes in Peru so far this year, with July being the most active month, registering 115 events. The most seismically active regions include Lima, Arequipa, Ica, and Piura. Previous devastating earthquakes in Peru, such as the 2007 quake in Ica that killed 500 people, highlight the country's vulnerability to seismic activity. More recent significant quakes include a magnitude 5.4 event in Junín on July 18, which caused five deaths and destroyed homes, and the recent tremor in Ayacucho.

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The earthquake in Junín had its epicenter 14 kilometers southwest of Chupaca and originated from the reactivation of the Altos del Mantaro fault, with a depth of 9.5 kilometers.