8.0-magnitude earthquake hits Peru; no casualties yet

Peru is located in a seismically active region, and on January 14 last year a quake measuring 7.3 killed two people and toppled buildings near the southern city of Arequipa

8.0-magnitude earthquake hits Peru; no casualties yet

The quake was felt in northern and central Peru. Pic/AFP

Lima: An 8.0-earthquake struck northern Peru in the early hours of Sunday but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The US Geological Survey said the epicenter was at a depth of 110 kilometers (68 miles). The agency has previously said that most big quakes in South America occur at a maximum depth of 70 kilometers.

The quake hit at 0741 GMT about 75 kilometers southeast of the town of Lagunas, along the Amazon basin near the border with Brazil. "Some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localized," USGS said in a preliminary assessment. The Geophysics Institute of Peru said the quake measured 7.2 magnitude while Peruvian authorities said the tremor caused alarm among locals but no damage was reported. The earthquake was felt in northern and central Peru, including the capital Lima.

"Based on all available data... there is no tsunami threat because the earthquake is located too deep inside the earth," the US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. In February a quake measuring 7.5 with its epicenter in neighboring Ecuador rattled the coast and Amazon region of northern Peru. It left nine people injured and caused damage in Ecuador, but Peru was unscathed. Peru is located in a seismically active region, and on January 14 last year a quake measuring 7.3 killed two people and toppled buildings near the southern city of Arequipa.