5.5-magnitude earthquake hits Peru's Andes region, kills at least 5

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake shook the Andes region of Peru on Saturday evening, leaving at least five people dead, over 20 injured, and around 300 displaced, authorities confirmed Sunday.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake struck at 9:24 p.m. local time on July 18, with its epicenter 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) west-southwest of the city of Sicaya in Huancayo province at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles). Peru's National Civil Defence Institute stated that the number of missing is still unknown.

Several buildings collapsed or sustained structural damage, including a local church and a convent. The agricultural region of Chongo Bajo was among the hardest-hit areas, where residents, including a woman named Hermenegilda Guamalato, sought shelter. She told a local radio station, "My home has been destroyed." Animals were also seen trapped under rubble.

Luis Vásquez, head of the local civil defence office, told journalists that the use of rustic adobe materials in construction in the Andean area "has contributed to the greater impact and damage." Peru lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire, making earthquakes common.

In 2007, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck the province of Pisco in the Ica region, killing nearly 600 people.