Earthquake shakes Peru's Andes region, killing at least 5, displacing hundreds

A powerful earthquake ripped done Peru's Andes region overnight, sidesplitting astatine slightest 5 group and leaving hundreds displaced arsenic homes and a religion collapsed, pinch authorities informing Sunday that an chartless number of group stay missing.

The magnitude 5.5 quake struck soon aft 9:20 p.m. Saturday adjacent nan metropolis of Sicaya successful cardinal Peru, according to nan U.S. Geological Survey. The quake injured much than 20 group and forced astatine slightest 300 residents from their homes, Peru's National Civil Defense Institute said.

Officials were still trying to relationship for missing residents Sunday aft respective buildings collapsed aliases were near unsafe, including a section religion and convent.

SECURITY GUARD SURVIVES EIGHT DAYS BENEATH COLLAPSED SHOPPING CENTER AFTER VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES

Residents locomotion amid nan debris of homes that collapsed aft an earthquake struck Pumpuya, Peru, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Javier Ninanya)

Authorities said nan region's wide usage of accepted adobe building apt made nan harm worse. Luis Vásquez, caput of nan section civilian defense office, said nan rustic building materials "contributed to nan greater effect and damage."

A centrifugal tricycle is stuck amid nan debris of homes that collapsed aft an earthquake struck Pumpuya, Peru, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jhefry Sedano)

Images from nan hard-hit farming organization of Chongo Bajo showed families wrapped successful blankets extracurricular damaged homes arsenic neighbors picked done nan rubble. Animals could besides beryllium seen trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

BOY, 2, PULLED ALIVE FROM RUBBLE SIX DAYS AFTER VENEZUELA'S DEVASTATING TWIN EARTHQUAKES

"My location has been destroyed," resident Hermenegilda Guamalato told section power while looking for shelter pinch her 3 children successful nan neighboring state of Huayucachi.

Residents guidelines adjacent to nan covered bodies of neighbors who were killed aft an earthquake struck Pumpuya, Peru, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Javier Ninanya)

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Peru sits on nan Pacific "Ring of Fire," 1 of nan world's astir progressive earthquake zones. In 2007, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck nan coastal state of Pisco, sidesplitting astir 600 people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.