Magnitude 8 Quake Hits Northern Peru
PERU - A Magnitude 8 quake has struck northern Peru, causing damage to surrounding towns.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 114 km (70.8 mi), and struck at 02:41 AM (local time). The epicenter of the quake was 80 km (49.7 mi) southeast of the village of Lagunas and 158 km (98.2 mi) east-northeast of the larger town of Yurimaguas.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no tsunami threat from the quake.
On Twitter, Peruvians shared their experience of the significant quake.
Singer EZIO was in the middle of a concert when the quake was felt and shared video of the crowd's reaction during the quake. In it he says:
I just had one of the biggest scares of my life, the earthquake surprised us at the concert and I just want to thank the people of Rioja for their excellent reaction. I saw how some helped others and thank God there was not one injured in the concert.
Some have reported feeling shaking for as long as two minutes or more. In the capital, Lima, people ran out of their homes in fear. Power cuts have been reported in a number of Amazonian cities.
In addition, people in Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador have also been reported feeling the quake as well. These countries sit close to the Peruvian borders, so it is not unexpected.
Earthquakes are common in Peru, due to it being in the so-called 'Ring Of Fire,' a highly active volcanic zone on the earth, where multiple tectonic plates slam into each other.