Earthquake today: Magnitude 5.5 quake hits Peru’s Andes region, kills at least 5 | Today’s news

Earthquake today: A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Andes region of Peru, killing at least five people, local authorities said on Sunday.

More than 20 people have been injured and 300 have been displaced so far.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake struck at 9:24 p.m. local time on Saturday, with its epicenter located 2 kilometers west-southwest of the town of Sicaya in Huancayo province.

The incident took place at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute said in a statement that the total number of missing is still unknown.

Several buildings collapsed or suffered structural damage, including the local church and monastery.

Images broadcast by local media captured the agony of relatives of the victims in one of the worst affected areas, the agricultural area of ​​Chongo Bajo, where residents huddled under blankets in front of badly damaged houses. Animals could also be seen under the rubble.

In 2007, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake hit the province of Pisco in the Ica region, killing nearly 600 people. Earthquakes are common in Peru because the country is located in the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire”. (AP) NPK