Story perspectives

Peru quake damages 22 homes, cuts power to 9,000

8/21/2026

Summary

Belaunde Coordinates Response

Defence Minister Rafael Belaunde coordinated emergency response after a 6.7-magnitude quake in southern Peru.
The quake struck near Aniso, Ayacucho at 1 p.m. local time on Thursday.
USGS reported magnitude 6.7, while Peru's Geophysical Institute recorded magnitude 7.2.
Damage affected 22 homes, six schools, ten health centers in Ayacucho and two in Cusco.
Power outages hit about 9,000 properties and nine schools.

Summary

USGS Issues Alert

USGS issued a Green alert, saying the quake poses low fatality and economic risk.
Seismologists measured the quake at 66.7 km depth, unusually deep for magnitude 6.7.
About 35,000 people experienced strong (Mercalli VI) shaking and 197,000 felt moderate (Mercalli V).
Vulnerable buildings in the area are mainly mud-wall and reinforced or confined masonry.
Scientists say landslide and liquefaction hazards are limited, though isolated damage remains possible.

History

Historical Context

The May 31 1970 Ancash earthquake, a magnitude 7.9 shock that triggered a debris avalanche killing up to 30,000 people in Yungay, spurred Peru’s creation of the CRYRZA reconstruction agency and UN-OCHA aid programs. Today, a USGS-reported 6.7 quake near Aniso has prompted Defence Minister Rafael Belaunde’s disaster office to fast-track shelters and retrofits, echoing the 1970 response.

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Belaunde Coordinates Response

Defence Minister Rafael Belaunde coordinated emergency response after a 6.7-magnitude quake in southern Peru.
The quake struck near Aniso, Ayacucho at 1 p.m. local time on Thursday.
USGS reported magnitude 6.7, while Peru's Geophysical Institute recorded magnitude 7.2.
Damage affected 22 homes, six schools, ten health centers in Ayacucho and two in Cusco.
Power outages hit about 9,000 properties and nine schools.

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