6.9 earthquake jolts central Peru

Lima:  A large 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck a sparsely populated area of central Peru, the US geological survey said late on Sunday. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, Mario Casareto, spokesman for Peru’s fire agency said on Sunday. He said authorities were still surveying the region, including the Ayacucho area where the quake was centered. The seismological service initially reported the magnitude as 7, but revised it downward to 6.9 in a subsequent report. According to the survey’s updated figures, the quake occurred at 2321 GMT on Sunday (0451 IST today) and was centered about 43 kilometers (27 miles) east-northeast of an area called Tambo, and about 467 kilometers (290 miles) southeast of the capital of Lima. It had a depth of 101 kilometers (62.8 miles), the survey said. Local media said that the quake was felt in parts of Lima and in many major cities of southeastern Peru, including Cuzco and Arequipa. AP