The death toll in Peru has risen to five after a magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck central Peru late on Saturday, with rescue crews racing to save dozens trapped under collapsed homes. The quake hit at a depth of 13.67 miles at around 9.24pm local time, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said, with its epicentre about seven kilometres south of Chupaca. Shockwaves were felt across Huancayo, Concepción, Jauja and other towns in the Mantaro Valley, flattening dozens of houses in the worst-hit district of Pumpunya.
In the town of Chongos Bajo, a 500-year-old stone statue crashed down into the town’s plaza — a focal point of an annual pilgrimage from Huancayo. Photos from the ground showed stone buildings reduced to rubble, with dead cattle and other animals beneath the destruction. As temperatures plunged to 4 degrees Celsius, victims pleaded with authorities for support, while police, firefighters, medical teams and local authorities were deployed to recover victims and help the affected.
“Five dead after 5.6 magnitude earthquake hits central Peru, dozens trapped in rubble.”
Authorities warned the number of dead could continue to climb as search efforts intensified. The quake comes weeks after a deadly earthquake in Venezuela, but for now the focus remains on the shattered communities of central Peru, where dozens remain trapped beneath the rubble and freezing night threatens more lives.
