6.7-magnitude earthquake shakes Peru's southern Andes, no immediate damage reported
LIMA, Peru -- A magnitude 6.7 earthquake shook Peru's southern Andes Mountains on Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage.
The USGS said the quake occurred at 1 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT) and was centered 38 kilometers (24 miles) northwest of the city of Upahuacho, in the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region. It had a depth of 66 kilometers (41 miles).
The earthquake was felt in several regions of southern Peru, including Ica and Arequipa.
Luis Vásquez, head of Civil Defense, told local radio station RPP that "no damage of any kind has been reported so far." Yony Reyes, mayor of Parinacochas province, said there also were no reports of damage in the provincial capital. The Peruvian Navy said there was no tsunami threat.
Earthquakes are frequent in Peru which is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area of frequent seismic activity.
In 2007, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in a province of the Ica region left nearly 600 people dead.
