Peru earthquake: magnitude 5.1-5.5 tremor kills 6, injures 32 in Junín

The earthquake

A shallow earthquake struck the central Peruvian province of Chupaca at 9:24 p.m. local time on Saturday, 18 July. The Peruvian Geophysical Institute (IGP) measured the tremor at magnitude 5.1, while the U.S. Geological Survey reported 5.5 and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded 5.6. The epicenter was located near the rural district of Chongos Bajo, about 300 kilometers east of Lima, at a depth of between 10 and 24 kilometers, depending on the agency. The IGP later attributed the quake to the reactivation of the Altos del Mantaro tectonic fault.

Any seismic event generated near this fault will produce high levels of ground shaking.

The main shock was followed by 12 aftershocks, most of low magnitude, forcing about 300 residents to take refuge in a sports stadium in Pumpunya overnight.

Casualties and damage

By Sunday afternoon, authorities confirmed at least 6 people dead and 32 injured. The National Civil Defense Institute (Indeci) reported that 48 homes were destroyed and another 18 damaged, leaving roughly 300 people displaced. The town's 16th-century church and chapel also suffered damage. Power was cut to seven districts near the epicenter, and several villages remained without electricity on Sunday, though telecommunications and road networks stayed operational.

The shallow depth of the quake, combined with homes built from adobe and quincha, contributed to the severe damage in several localities.

A resident of Chongos Bajo described the destruction to Canal N television.

The earthquake destroyed our home. Many adobe houses here have collapsed.

Emergency response

Prime Minister Luis Arroyo announced on Sunday that the government had initiated the procedure to declare a state of emergency. President José María Balcázar said humanitarian aid was dispatched immediately and coordination with local authorities was underway to assist affected families. The health ministry set up a mobile medical unit and deployed a field hospital to the disaster zone. An air bridge was established at Jauja airport to deliver supplies, while the regional government distributed tents and blankets to shelter displaced families from the cold Andean night.

I deeply regret the consequences of the earthquake. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and my solidarity with those affected.

Why adobe homes collapsed

Traditional construction in the Andes relies heavily on adobe, a sun-dried mixture of clay, sand, and straw. Civil defense chief Luis Vásquez noted that these rudimentary structures are particularly vulnerable to seismic shaking. IGP head Hernando Tavera echoed that assessment, pointing out that adobe and straw homes common in the region were prone to collapse. The combination of shallow depth and fragile building stock amplified the damage across several villages.

Seismic context

Peru sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone that accounts for roughly 85% of the world's seismic activity. The country records about 400 to 450 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater each year, according to Tavera. Saturday's tremor was the largest to hit the central highlands since 1969, when quakes of magnitude 5.9 and 6.0 shook the region. So far this year, 450 earthquakes have been detected in Peru, which Tavera described as about average for the quake-prone country.