A 7.5-magnitude earthquake hits Peru, locals share photos of the damaged church and ruins

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A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck northern Peru on Sunday, leaving trails of rubble and damaged buildings.

The US Geological Survey says the strong earthquake occurred at 5:52 am on Sunday local time (1052 GMT). While it was extremely powerful, it was also relatively deep, at 112 kilometers in length, which usually minimized damage and losses.

The epicenter was 42 kilometers (26 miles) northwest of the coastal city of Barranca. Pictures and videos on social media showed destroyed buildings and rubble on the roads.

Some videos captured the interiors of apartment complexes and the collapsing boundary walls outside the buildings.

Urban area of ​​#Loja after the earthquake of magnitude 7.5, epicenter: 98 km east of Sta Maria de Neiva, Condorcanque – Amazonas. # Peru pic.twitter.com/IOGsfgfHkc

– Daniela Gallardo (@dane_gallardo) November 28, 2021

Magnitude 7.5 earthquake strikes Peru

– ÎLKHA (@ilkhakurdi) November 28, 2021

7.5-magnitude earthquake shakes Peru https://t.co/e8zZLu8zwu #Peru #sismo #earthquake #Amazonas pic.twitter.com/SJLZ2x237E

– ÎLKHA (@ilkhakurdi) November 28, 2021

Magnitude 7.3 earthquake shakes Peru https://t.co/e8zZLu8zwu #Peru #sismo #earthquake #Amazonas pic.twitter.com/RK83vLTMSu

– ÎLKHA (@ilkhakurdi) November 28, 2021

A 14-meter-high tower in a protected four-century-old church collapsed shortly after the 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Sunday in northern Peru, according to local media and witnesses.

Videos and photos posted online showed the historic tower, part of a 16th-century complex once considered the oldest Catholic temple in the Amazonas, reduced to a pile of stones, although the main lobby remains.

Social media posts also showed damage to other sites, including a church in southern Ecuador. The earthquake was also felt in Colombia.

The Ministry of Defense’s National Institute of Civil Defense of Peru did not immediately report damage or injuries from the earthquake.

(with input from AP)

Earthquakes are common in Peru, which lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire where 85 percent of the planet’s seismic activity occurs.

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