After the huge waves…a 4.5 magnitude earthquake strikes southwest Peru

An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale struck an area southwest of San Juan, Peru.
The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake occurred 53 kilometers southwest of San Juan, at a depth of 10 kilometers below the Earth’s surface. There have been no reports so far of human or material damage as a result of the earthquake.

The earthquake comes a day after huge waves hit Peru, Ecuador and Chile, reaching four meters high, killing three people.
Ecuadorian Minister of Risk Management Jorge Carrillo reported in a press conference about a “dangerous situation” and warned that the country may witness similar conditions in the future.
He added, “Unfortunately, we recorded two deaths” in the Manta region in southwestern Ecuador.
A third death was recorded in Chile, where a 30-year-old man was found dead on a beach, according to the country’s navy.

In Peru, almost all ports were closed due to strong waves, according to what the head of the Navy’s Oceanographic Department, Enrique Faria, told Canal In.
He expected that the strong waves would continue “in the coming days,” but they would calm down a little starting Monday and return to normal in the first days of the new year.
Pictures published by local media showed that water flooded piers and public squares in parts of Peru, prompting residents to flee to the highlands.
The Peruvian Navy said that waves are formed on the ocean surface as a result of winds off the American coast.
Many beaches in the center and north of the country were closed to avoid any risks to people’s lives, according to the authorities.