Six Killed as Twin Earthquakes Devastate Peru’s Junín Region, Dozens of Homes Reduced to Rubble

At least six people have been killed after two earthquakes struck Peru’s central Andean region of Junín, triggering widespread destruction, injuring more than 20 people and leaving hundreds of residents displaced as emergency crews continue search-and-rescue operations.

According to Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute, the first earthquake, measuring magnitude 5.1, struck late Saturday night in Chupaca Province, east of the capital, Lima. A second tremor measuring 3.7 followed shortly afterward, compounding the devastation across several mountain communities.

Authorities said preliminary assessments indicate that at least 48 homes were completely destroyed while another 18 sustained significant damage. Around 300 residents have been affected and many families spent the night outdoors or in temporary shelters after their homes became unsafe. Emergency tents and relief supplies have been distributed as officials continue to assess the full scale of the disaster.

The worst-hit communities include Chongos Bajo and surrounding districts, where many traditional adobe houses collapsed under the force of the shaking. Civil defense officials noted that the widespread use of adobe construction, which is particularly vulnerable during earthquakes, contributed to the extensive destruction.

Search-and-rescue teams, firefighters and police were deployed immediately after the earthquakes amid fears that additional victims could still be trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Authorities said the number of missing people remains unclear as emergency assessments continue across remote mountain villages.

Besides residential buildings, several historic and public structures suffered damage. The centuries-old Santiago de León church and former convent in Chongos Bajo, a nationally recognized heritage site dating back to the 16th century, sustained significant structural damage. Hospitals in the affected region also reported cracks and damage, prompting inspections to determine whether services could safely continue.

Images from the disaster zone showed residents searching through piles of rubble for personal belongings while others gathered in open spaces under blankets as aftershocks and cold overnight temperatures heightened fears of further collapses. Livestock were also reported trapped beneath debris in several farming communities.

Peru lies along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions where the Nazca tectonic plate is forced beneath the South American Plate. The country experiences hundreds of noticeable earthquakes each year, although only a small percentage cause significant damage.

The latest disaster has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of rural Andean communities, where many homes are still built using traditional construction methods that offer little resistance to seismic activity. Authorities have pledged to continue rescue operations, deliver humanitarian assistance and conduct detailed structural assessments before residents are allowed to return to damaged buildings.