LIMA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed after an earthquake struck Peru's central department of Junin Saturday night, local media reported Sunday.
State news agency Andina, citing Luis Vasquez, head of the National Institute of Civil Defense, said the quake has also left more than 20 people injured and about 300 others displaced.
He said the confirmed deaths were in Chupaca province, where Chongos Bajo was among the hardest-hit districts, adding the quake destroyed homes and damaged road infrastructure, leaving cracks stretching for about 100 meters on some roads. However, access routes remained open for rescue teams.
Peru's Geophysical Institute measured the quake, which occurred at 9:24 p.m. local time on Saturday, at magnitude 5.1, while the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences put it at magnitude 5.5.
Peru lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," which stretches along the western coast of the Americas and eastern Asia and is one of the world's most seismically active zones.
