LIMA, PERU – The United States Geological Survey says a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 has struck northern Peru.
The quake struck at 5:52 a.m. local time on Sunday (10:52 GMT). Although extremely powerful, it is relatively deep – measured at 112 km – which generally reduces damage and casualties.
The epicenter was 42 km (26 mi) north of the coastal city of Barranca.
According to local media reports and eyewitnesses, a 14-meter-tall tower in a protected 4-century-old church collapsed shortly after Sunday’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake in northern Peru. .
Videos and photos posted online show that the historic tower, part of a 16th-century complex that is considered the oldest Catholic temple in the Amazonas region, has been reduced to a pile of stones, although the main atrium appears to be standing still.
Social media posts also showed damage at other locations, including at a church in southern Ecuador. The earthquake was also felt in Colombia.
The National Institute of Civil Defense in Peru did not immediately report damage or injuries caused by the quake.
Earthquakes are common in Peru, a country located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where 85% of the planet’s seismic activity takes place.
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