Peru earthquake raises concern about activity along the San Andreas Fault and Ring of Fire

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) - A powerful earthquake struck Peru Thursday, shaking communities across the southern Andes and sending people rushing from buildings.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the earthquake at magnitude 6.7, with the epicenter about 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho in the Ayacucho region. The quake struck at about 1 p.m. local time at a depth of roughly 67 kilometers. According to reports, at least two people were injured.

For people here in the Coachella Valley with family and friends in Peru, the earthquake hit much closer to home. Local members of the Peruvian community immediately began checking in with loved ones to make sure family members were safe.

The concern comes as earthquake activity across parts of South America has kept many people watching the region closely.

Peru sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone surrounding much of the Pacific Ocean where several tectonic plates meet and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common.

And that connection is raising another question here in Southern California — because the region is also located along the seismically active Ring of Fire.

But seismologists stress that earthquakes happening in different parts of the Ring of Fire are not necessarily connected or a sign that an earthquake is coming to Southern California.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.