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An earthquake measuring 5.5 in magnitude struck central Peru on Saturday night, leaving at least five people dead and around 20 injured, authorities said on Sunday.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck near the town of Chupaca at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), as authorities continued assessing the full extent of the damage.
The hardest-hit area was the district of Chongos Bajo, where the fatalities were reported, although officials had not yet released the identities of the victims.
Emergency teams were deployed to the affected areas to carry out search, rescue, and damage assessment operations.
The tremor also damaged several historic religious monuments and other heritage sites, while power outages were reported across several districts.
Peru lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
Peru's last major, deadly earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.9 and killed 595 people in 2007 as it hit the port city of Pisco in the southern Ica region. It also caused a minor tsunami.
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