7.2 magnitude earthquake hits Peru

LIMA (AP) — A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off Peru’s southern Pacific coast early Friday. Authorities did not immediately report any casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at 00:36 (0536 GMT) on Friday. The epicenter was located 28 kilometers (17 miles) deep in the Pacific Ocean, 8 kilometers (5 miles) west of the coast of the district of Atiquipa, in the province of Caravelí, 634 kilometers (390 miles) south of the capital, Lima, and near the borders with Chile and Bolivia.

The earthquake was felt in the nearby regions of Ayacucho, Ica and the capital, according to local media reports. The mayor of the Sancos district in Ayacucho, Eder Allca, told local radio RPP that the road in his district suffered rockfalls that left several towns incommunicado.

The Hydrography and Navigation Directorate of the Peruvian Navy reported that the earthquake generated a tsunami alert on the Peruvian coast. But the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said any tsunami threat had now passed.

Peru is a country prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire.