Major 7.2 earthquake felt close to city as surprised vacationers proven in aftermath

A clip of the aftermath show stunned onlookers filming the mountainside while the shaking sends ominous clouds of dust rolling down the slopes towards them

A massive earthquake has been felt just 35km away from the Peruvian city of Coracora, with tremors measuring 7.2 in magnitude recorded earlier today (August 20).

Stunned tourists were seen in the valley of Ayacucho, Peru, with many pointing recording devices high above as dust erupted from a row of mountains. It is believed the video was recorded shortly after the quake.

People anxiously check their phones and talk among themselves as the wall of dust rolls closer towards them. Coracora has a population of approximately 13,000 and is a popular destination for travellers and hikers who often use it as a base to traverse the nearby mountain range.

It is not yet known if there has been any injuries due to the earthquake. Last month six people in Peru died in the aftermath of a much smaller earthquake. A 5.5-magnitude struck the Andes region, leaving 30 people injured and over 300 people displaced in July

The US Geological Survey reported the quake’s epicentre was located 2km (1.2 miles) west-south-west of the city of Sicaya in Huancayo province. It was 10km (6.2 miles) deep.

Peru’s National Civil Defence Institute said in a statement that the total number of missing people is still unknown. Several buildings collapsed or suffered structural damage, including the local church and convent.

“My home has been destroyed,” Hermenegilda Guamalato told a local radio station as she sought a place to stay with her three children in the neighbouring district of Huayucachi.

Earthquakes are frequent in Peru, which is located in the Pacific “Ring of Fire”.

In 2007, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck the province of Pisco in the Ica region, killing nearly 600 people.