Peru: A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs near western central regions at around 06:40 Dec. 10

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred near the western central regions of Peru at around 06:40 Dec. 10. The epicenter was about 71 km (44 miles) west-southwest of Ica. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 12 km (8 miles), and shaking was probably felt throughout the western central regions. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.