Lima, Peru earthquake: Chilling videos show devastation caused by 5.6 magnitude quake; one killed, several injured

Peru, located on the Ring of Fire, experienced a 5.6 magnitude earthquake that killed one and injured 36, AFP reported.

A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck off Peru’s central coast on Sunday morning, shaking Lima and the nearby port city of Callao. Authorities confirmed one person was killed and 36 others were injured.

Peru sits on the “Ring of Fire,” a seismic zone around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanoes are common.(AFP)

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake occurred at 11:35 a.m. local time in the Pacific Ocean. Its epicenter was about 14 miles southwest of Callao, just west of the capital, Lima.

Police Col. Ramiro Clauco told RPP radio that a 36-year-old man in northern Lima died while “standing outside his vehicle waiting for a passenger” when a wall from the fourth floor of a nearby building under construction fell and struck him, as cited by Aljazeera report.

 In addition, the Emergency Operations Center reported 36 injuries in Lima. The agency also said there was damage to roads and some school buildings.

President Dina Boluarte likley to travel to Callao

President Dina Boluarte is expected to travel to Callao to oversee the situation, according to a statement posted on X by the Peruvian presidency.

Hernando Tavera, head of the Geophysical Institute of Peru, told TV channel N that the quake was felt across all districts of Lima.

Lima, Peru earthquake triggered landslide 

Local radio said the tremor caused the cancellation of a major soccer match that was scheduled to be held in Lima. Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared several videos of the powerful earthquake and the landslide it triggered.

Peru sits on the “Ring of Fire,” a seismic zone around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanoes are common. The country experiences more than 100 detectable earthquakes each year.

The last major quake happened in 2021 in the Amazon region. It measured 7.5 in magnitude, injured 12 people, and destroyed over 70 homes.

Peru’s deadliest earthquake happened in 1970, in the Ancash region. That disaster caused landslides and killed around 70,000 people.