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8.0 magnitude earthquake rocks Peru

By Renee Duff, Accuweather.com
A powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck 47 miles southeast of Lagunas, Peru, at a depth of 68 miles below the earth's surface Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck 47 miles southeast of Lagunas, Peru, at a depth of 68 miles below the earth's surface Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

A powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Amazon rainforest in north-central Peru on Sunday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

At 2:41 a.m. local time, the temblor struck 47 miles southeast of Lagunas, Peru, at a depth of 68 miles below the earth's surface, according to USGA. Lagunas is home to nearly 10,000 people.

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Pictures posted on Twitter by the Ministry of the Interior of Peru showed considerable damage and building collapses in Yurimaguas, a town with over 62,000 inhabitants.

A video showed the facade of a church in Ecuador lying in ruins on the ground.

Local law enforcement agents were "patrolling the streets to calm down the population and receive information about housing collapses due to the strong earthquake," the Ministry of the Interior of Peru said.

"We are evaluating the affected areas," President of the Republic of Peru, Martín Vizcarra, posted on Twitter. "I ask all of our citizens to remain calm."

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"Daily showers and thunderstorms in the vicinity can slow cleanup and recovery efforts this week," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller. "There is also the threat for a local downpour."

The USGS issued a yellow alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses.

"Some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localized," the USGS stated. "Past yellow alerts have required a local or regional level response."

The earthquake hit away from the heavily populated coastal areas, but light shaking was still felt in the capital of Lima, Peru, where people reportedly ran from their homes out of fear.

There were also reports of light shaking near Quito, Ecuador and Bogota, Colombia.

Peru is accustomed to experiencing frequent earthquakes as it lies along the Pacific's Ring of Fire.

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