At least four people died and others remained trapped in rubble after a strong earthquake struck central Peru on Saturday evening, 18 July 2026. Several buildings collapsed in the affected area near Chupaca, in the Junín region, with rescue efforts complicated by temperatures of just 4 degrees Celsius.
The Peru Geophysical Institute measured the quake at magnitude 5.1, while the United States Geological Survey put the figure at 5.5. The tremor struck at about 9:24 p.m. local time at a depth of roughly 24 kilometres south of Chupaca.
In the town of Chongos Bajo, a 500-year-old stone statue crashed into the main plaza. Local media reported multiple injuries alongside the fatalities. The quake was felt across the country's southwestern highlands, where authorities are still assessing the full scale of damage.