A powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook southern Peru on Thursday afternoon, causing structural damage across several districts in the department of Ayacucho.
According to a preliminary report from the National Institute of Civil Defense, known as Indeci, the tremor occurred at a depth of 108 kilometres and was felt as far away as Cusco and the capital city of Lima.
Disaster response officials confirmed that no fatalities or injuries have been reported following the seismic event on August 20.
Structural damage across Ayacucho districts
An assessment released by Indeci at 3:50 p.m. local time recorded damage to at least 33 residential properties across the affected territory. Among those structures, three homes were rendered uninhabitable, while one residence was completely destroyed.
Housing damage was concentrated across six districts in Ayacucho. Pullo registered the highest impact with 12 damaged homes, followed by Puquio with eight and Coracora with seven. Inspection teams recorded three damaged homes in Chumpi, two in Upahuacho, and one in Leoncio Prado.
In addition to residential property, public infrastructure sustained notable harm. Three educational institutions in Chumpi district suffered structural damage, while six health facilities were affected, including three medical centers in Coracora and three in Puquio. Electrical power was also cut off in Puquio following the quake.
Beyond Ayacucho, the ground movement caused architectural damage in neighboring Cusco region, where a crack appeared on the front facade of the historic Palace of Justice building.
Ayacucho is a high-altitude department located in the southern Peruvian Andes, characterized by steep mountainous terrain and rural communities. Peru lies along the Pacific Ocean seismic zone known as the Ring of Fire, where frequent tectonic interactions between the Nazca Plate and the South American Plate generate regular seismic activity.
Emergency operations and official assessment
Indeci Chief Luis Vasquez Guerrero reported that specialized evaluation teams were deploying across different zones of the province to gather detailed information on structural losses and community needs.
Vasquez stated that national authorities, government ministers, and the President of Peru were closely monitoring the disaster reports compiled by emergency services to coordinate potential aid deployment.
As the primary government body responsible for disaster risk reduction and civil protection in Peru, Indeci oversees emergency responses and damage assessments during natural disasters. The agency routinely urges citizens in seismically active regions to maintain household safety plans.
Vasquez recommended that residents maintain active emergency protocols, keep basic survival kits known as emergency backpacks readily available, and review family coordination plans for seismic events. Civil defense officials expected to publish a full consolidated damage assessment by the end of the day as field teams complete their surveys.
