5.5-Magnitude Quake Kills at Least 5 in Peru's Andes, Displaces 300

What happened

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Peru's central Andes at 9:24pm Saturday, its epicenter 2 kilometers west-southwest of the city of Sicaya in Huancayo province and its focus 10 kilometers underground, according to the US Geological Survey. Peruvian authorities said the quake killed at least five people, injured more than 20 and displaced roughly 300, with the total number of missing still unknown. Several structures collapsed or were damaged, including a local church and convent, and a civil defense official said the area's widespread use of rustic adobe construction worsened the toll.

• The US Geological Survey placed the quake's epicenter 2 km (1.24 miles) west-southwest of Sicaya in Huancayo province, at a depth of 10 km.
• Peru's National Civil Defense Institute reported at least five deaths, more than 20 injuries and about 300 people displaced, per AP.
• Luis Vásquez, head of the local civil defense office, said the area's rustic adobe construction 'has contributed to the greater impact and damage,' per AP.
• The local church and convent were among the buildings that collapsed or suffered structural damage, per AP.
• The agricultural district of Chongo Bajo was among the hardest-hit areas, with residents sheltering under blankets outside damaged homes, per AP.

What we don't know yet

• The total number of missing people has not been released; officials have not said how many remain unaccounted for.
• No estimate of economic damage or a rebuilding timeline has been given yet.

Why it matters

The adobe-construction damage pattern echoes Peru's 2007 Pisco earthquake, which killed nearly 600 people, renewing questions about seismic building standards in Andean towns that have gone largely unaddressed for almost two decades.

Claims

• ConfirmedA magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Peru's central Andes region on Saturday evening, killing at least five people.
• ConfirmedThe earthquake injured more than 20 people.
• ConfirmedThe earthquake displaced approximately 300 people.
• ConfirmedThe US Geological Survey placed the quake's epicenter 2 kilometers west-southwest of Sicaya in Huancayo province at a depth of 10 kilometers.
• ConfirmedLocal civil defense official Luis Vásquez said the area's rustic adobe construction contributed to the quake's damage.