Is Peru in the Ring of Fire? Exploring the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in South American country

A strong 7.2-magnitude earthquake shook southern Peru on Thursday, according to the US Geological Survey, though there were no immediate reports of damage or injury.

At 7:02 a.m. local time (1202 GMT), the earthquake struck at a depth of 218 kilometers (135 miles). It is located 13 kilometers (8 miles) west-northwest of Azangaro, near Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian border.

The quake shook some buildings in La Paz, Bolivia's capital, and Peruvian cities such as Arequipa, Tacna, and Cusco, but local authorities and radio stations reported no damage or casualties.

Hernando Tavera said:

"For the moment, given the level of intensity at the surface, it should not generate any more damage than fear, when the quake is deeper there is less shaking of the ground."

However, the country, located on the Ring of Fire, is hit by at least 400 detectable earthquakes each year.

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Peru's earthquakes and the Ring of Fire

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit a rural corner of the country, sending terrified residents fleeing into the streets of neighboring Bolivia, though no damage or injuries were immediately reported.

The Ring of Fire surrounds the Pacific Ocean. At least 450 active and dormant volcanoes form a semi-circle, or horseshoe, around the Philippine Sea plate, the Pacific Plate, the Juan de Fuca and Cocos plates, and the Nazca Plate. The area experiences a high level of seismic activity.

Approximately 90% of all earthquakes occur within the Ring of Fire. This means that people's lives in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and other island nations are constantly threatened.

However, on May 22, 1960, the worst earthquake in the Ring of Fire slammed Chile. The quake had a magnitude of 9.5. According to the US Geological Survey's list of the "World's Largest Earthquakes Since 1900," this is the case.

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Coincidence: 1940 Lima, Peru earthquake just days before the latest one

On May 26, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck southern Peru. Coincidentally, an earthquake in Lima occurred on May 24, 1940.

On May 24, 1940, at 11:35 a.m. PST, the Lima earthquake struck with a magnitude of Mw 8.2 on the moment magnitude scale. The tremors from the massive quake were felt across the country and in Ecuador and Chile. The earthquake killed an estimated 179 to 300 people and injured another 3,500.

The epicenter of the earthquake was near the coastal cities of Huacho and Huaura, some 150 kilometers north of Lima. A tsunami with a height of up to two meters was seen without causing significant damage.