Shallow 6.3-magnitude quake hits Peru

1 Dec, 2016 23:10 / Updated 5 years ago

An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude has hit southern Peru, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reports, stating that it had a depth of six miles (10 kilometers).

The USGS said the quake's epicenter was about 26 miles (43 kilometers) north-northeast of Huarichancara, in Peru's Puno region. 

At least 130 houses have been damaged in Puno in Lampa Province, Diarrio Correo reported. Power was reportedly completely cut off in the city.

Among the buildings that sustained the most damage was the historic church adjacent to Enrique Torres Belón’s mausoleum, one of the main tourist attractions in the town of Lampa. The quake badly damaged the marbles and forced the church’s stones to crumble. 

Reuters reported that Lampa’s mayor Nicolas Quispe told RPP that some of the town's adobe houses have completely collapsed as result of the quake.