Recent earthquakes in Peru
Peru sits above the subduction zone where the Nazca Plate dives beneath South America along the Peru-Chile Trench. This produces both shallow megathrust earthquakes off the coast and deeper events beneath the Andes. The 1970 Ancash earthquake (M7.9) triggered a landslide that buried the town of Yungay and remains the deadliest earthquake in the Western Hemisphere. In the past 24 hours, Peru has recorded 2 earthquakes, the largest an M4.5 (63 km WSW of Santiago, Peru).
Counts include M2.5+ events — the smallest size USGS reports consistently worldwide.
Recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Time (UTC) | Depth | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.5 | Sep 12, 08:46 UTC | 24 km | 63 km WSW of Santiago, Peru |
| M4.5 | Sep 12, 00:18 UTC | 99 km | 9 km WNW of Quicacha, Peru |
| M4.7 | Sep 10, 10:39 UTC | 22 km | 116 km WSW of Alianza Cristiana, Peru |
| M5.3 | Sep 10, 06:42 UTC | 10 km | 126 km WSW of Alianza Cristiana, Peru |
| M4.2 | Sep 6, 09:14 UTC | 35 km | 65 km S of Camaná, Peru |
Notable recent activity
A moderate M5.3 earthquake struck 126 km WSW of Alianza Cristiana, Peru at 06:42 UTC on Sep 10 at a depth of 10 km.
An M4.7 earthquake struck 116 km WSW of Alianza Cristiana, Peru at 10:39 UTC on Sep 10 at a depth of 22 km.
An M4.5 earthquake struck 63 km WSW of Santiago, Peru at 08:46 UTC on Sep 12 at a depth of 24 km.
Frequently asked questions
How many earthquakes does Peru get?
Peru records hundreds of felt earthquakes a year and a damaging event every few years on average, nearly all driven by the Nazca Plate subducting beneath the coast. Larger megathrust ruptures occur along the offshore trench.
Why does Peru have earthquakes?
The Nazca Plate subducts beneath the South American Plate off Peru's coast, storing strain that releases in offshore megathrust earthquakes and in deeper events under the Andes. Coastal cities such as Lima sit directly above this boundary.
What was the deadliest earthquake in Peru?
The May 31, 1970 Ancash earthquake, magnitude 7.9, killed roughly 70,000 people, mostly in a debris avalanche that buried Yungay. It is the deadliest earthquake recorded in the Western Hemisphere. The 2007 Pisco earthquake (M8.0) was another major event.
Nearby regions
Live data from the USGS earthquake feeds. Magnitudes and depths are automated readings and may be revised. Not for emergency use.