Earthquake Hits Coastal Peru

An earth quake hit the coastal city of Sechura in northern Peru on Saturday, U.S Geological Survey reports say. The 6.3 magnitude earthquake occurred at a depth of six miles. No damages and injuries were reported.

The quake happened in a region that marks the boundary between two tectonic plates, where the oceanic crust of the Nazca Plate moves under the South American Plate. These subduction zones are often the sites of volcanic activity and earthquakes.

In a separate incident, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit Chile’s northern Pacific shore late Sunday night, hours after a stronger 6.7-magnitude quake hit the same region. According to the U.S. Geological Survey reports, the earthquake occurred offshore at a depth of 6.6 miles with an epicenter of 46 miles northwest of Iquique, Chile. Since then the region has had a series of strong shocks registering between 4.9 and 5.2 magnitude. More than 100,000 people were evacuated from the coastal areas as a precaution. Minor damages were reported.

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