Strong 7.1 Quake Hits Peru, Close to Border With Brazil - USGS

Information about possible casualties or destruction is not available at the moment.

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake occurred on Friday in Peru, near the border with Brazil, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Underground shocks were registered at 09:04 UTC with the epicenter located 250 km (155 miles) northwest of Puerto Maldonado, Peru. The quake's epicenter lay at a depth of 609.5 kilometers. However, no tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Felt #earthquake (#sismo) M7.0 strikes 247 km NW of Puerto Maldonado (#Peru) 31 min ago. Please report to: https://t.co/CDd1UISEOR pic.twitter.com/R020OKhtXL

— EMSC (@LastQuake) August 24, 2018There were no immediate reports of damage, though social media users said tremors had been felt across the country and as far away as Arica in northern Chile.

Also, two strong shocks struck Pucallpa, a Peruvian town northwest of the epicenter, several residents reported on Twitter.

At the beginning of this year, Peru was hit by another strong 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off the country's coast, injuring over 100 people.

READ MORE: Hundreds of Families Affected by Powerful Quake in Peru — Reports