7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Hit Southern Peru, Injures 8, Tsunami Alerts Issued | WATCH Video

A total of eight people have been injured. Local radio station RPP was informed by David Aponte, Chief of Disaster Risk Management and National Defense at the Ministry of Health, of three minor injuries.

Later, another five injured people were reported to have been treated in nearby hospitals by the Ministry of Health.

7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Hit Southern Peru

A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake was reported to have struck off the coast of southern Peru at a depth of 28 kilometres (17 miles) on Friday (night), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGC).

An alert was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warning of "possible" tsunami waves reaching heights of 1 to 3 meters along certain coastal areas in Peru, as reported by CNN.

The centre emphasized that based on all available data, there is a forecast of hazardous tsunami waves for some coastal regions. Similarly, Peru's Geophysical Institute (IGP) also issued a tsunami alert, which is a step below a full tsunami warning.

This alert requires authorities to activate safety protocols to protect the population due to the potential occurrence of a tsunami. The earthquake epicentre was located eight kilometres (5 miles) west of Atiquipa, situated approximately 600 kilometres (372 miles) south of Peru's capital city, as per CNN reports.

Peru, like much of the South American Pacific Coast, is situated on the boundary between two tectonic plates: the South American plate, which covers most of the continent, and the Nazca plate, which extends along the Pacific coast. This geological setting makes the region prone to seismic activity, including earthquakes and potential tsunami threats when significant undersea tremors occur.