LIMA, Peru: A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Peru’s southern coast on Tuesday, , according to the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP), with authorities reporting no casualties or material damage so far.
The quake hit the Ica region at 12:57 pm local time (1757 GMT), the IGP said.
Its epicentre was located 41 kilometres south of the city of Ica. The tremor occurred at a depth of 81 kilometres.
The earthquake was felt moderately in the capital Lima, around 400 kilometres away, as well as across several districts along Peru’s central coast, according to the institute.
REPORTE SÍSMICO
IGP/CENSIS/RS 2026-0290
Fecha y Hora Local: 19/05/2026 12:57:51
Magnitud: 6.1
Profundidad: 81km
Latitud: -14.42
Longitud: -75.83
Intensidad: VI Ica
Referencia: 41 km al S de Ica, Ica – Icahttps://t.co/s5jYzsFlqQ— Instituto Geofísico del Perú (@igp_peru) May 19, 2026
“I felt the tremor strongly, I went out into the street with my wife,” a resident of Ica told RPP radio.
Social media users reported brief alarm in homes, offices and shopping centres in Lima and Ica, though no damage was immediately reported.
❗️⚠️🇵🇪 – A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Ica in southern Peru, with strong shaking felt across the southern and central regions, including the capital city of Lima.
The quake occurred at a depth of 81 kilometers in a seismically active subduction zone along the Nazca and… pic.twitter.com/UHaTh4I1SA
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) May 19, 2026
The National Civil Defence Institute (Indeci) advised the public to remain calm and review evacuation routes in case of aftershocks, local reports said.
Peru lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, one of the world’s most seismically active zones, where around 85% of global earthquakes occur, according to the IGP.
The South American country records at least 100 earthquakes annually due to the collision of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates.
IGP officials have previously warned that Peru’s central coast remains at risk of a major earthquake due to accumulated seismic energy.
IGP chief Hernando Tavera said the region has experienced “seismic silence” for around 280 years, referring to the absence of a major quake since 1746.
He noted that the 1746 earthquake, which struck the central coast, is estimated to have had a magnitude between 8.8 and 9.0.
Tavera warned that the lack of recent major seismic activity increases the likelihood of a high-magnitude quake in the future.
“That frequency of earthquakes has allowed us to conduct research and reach the conclusion that there is a possibility that a high-magnitude earthquake could occur at some point off the coast of Lima,” he said, according to Andina news agency.
He added that poor construction standards in parts of Lima could increase the risk of destruction in the event of a major quake.
“When an earthquake occurs, the ground shakes at different levels of intensity; if homes are not capable of withstanding it, they may collapse,” he warned.
