A 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck Peru's central Andes, killing five people, injuring 21 others and leaving about 300 residents homeless, authorities said Sunday.
The earthquake hit Saturday night near the town of Chongos Bajo, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) east of Lima, according to the Geophysics Institute of Peru.
The institute said the quake originated at a shallow depth of 24 kilometers (15 miles), intensifying its impact on nearby communities.
"The earthquake destroyed our home. Here there are many adobe houses that collapsed," a resident of Chongos Bajo told N television.
General Luis Vasquez, director of the National Civil Defense Institute, said the shallow epicenter, combined with the widespread use of adobe and quincha—a traditional blend of wood, cane and mud—in local construction, contributed to the extensive damage.
"Forty-eight houses were destroyed and 300 people were left homeless," Vasquez said.
Peru lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone that stretches around the Pacific Ocean.
Seismologists estimate the country records at least 400 earthquakes each year, although most are too weak to be felt.
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