A powerful earthquake struck Peru at about 1 p.m. local time on Thursday, August 21, 2026, triggering precautionary alarms in several regions. The United States Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 6.7, while Peru’s Geophysical Institute reported a magnitude of 7.2. Its focus was about 108 kilometres below the surface.

No immediate casualties were reported, and Peruvian authorities and disaster-risk management agencies did not report major infrastructure damage. Tremors were clearly felt across broad areas of southern and central Peru. Seismologists said the quake’s considerable depth absorbed a significant share of its energy before it reached the surface.

Near the epicentre, shaking registered between three and four on the Mercalli scale, described as light to moderate. Peru has recently experienced a series of earthquakes in its northern and southern areas. The country is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes occur frequently. In 2007, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Ica region killed about 600 people.

Peru’s Foreign Ministry said 11 Peruvian citizens have been killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, while 114 remain missing. Three Peruvians are being held by Ukrainian forces, according to a ministry statement issued on Sunday. The report was published on August 10, 2026.

The ministry said 31 people have been returned to Peru from Russia. Peruvian consular officials in Moscow and Warsaw are working to bring back several more citizens. Authorities also warned Peruvians not to respond to fraudulent job offers linked to joining the Russia-Ukraine war, saying such offers could expose people to risks of human trafficking.

Relatives of Peruvians who joined the Russian army protested outside the Russian embassy in Lima, demanding the return of missing and injured family members. Families have claimed that at least 150 Peruvians were killed, but that figure has not been officially confirmed. The Peruvian government has requested assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross in searching for those missing.

A small tourist plane crashed near Peru’s famous Nazca Lines, killing all 13 people aboard, including 11 passengers and two pilots. The Cessna Caravan C-208 took off from Pisco airport on Saturday for an aerial tour of the UNESCO World Heritage site before crashing in the Pueblo Viejo area shortly after departure and catching fire. Local media and officials confirmed the deaths on Sunday.

The state news agency said the foreign tourists included seven Italians, two Germans and two Spaniards. Police told AFP the crash was extremely severe and that no one was rescued alive from the scene. Four bodies had been recovered so far. Reuters video showed black smoke rising from the wreckage while firefighters sprayed water to extinguish the blaze.

The cause of the crash remains unknown. The Nasca provincial municipal authorities expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences to the victims’ families. The Nazca Lines, located in southern Peru’s desert, are a popular aerial sightseeing destination because their large animal designs cannot be clearly viewed from the ground. The area has seen previous crashes, including one that killed seven people in 2022 and another that killed six in 2010.

Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, is once again contesting for the country’s top office. At 51, she faces leftist leader Roberto Sánchez in a runoff election scheduled for Sunday. Polls show her slightly ahead, marking her fourth attempt after defeats in 2011, 2016, and 2021. Keiko first gained international attention at 19 as Peru’s First Lady, stepping in after her mother separated from Alberto Fujimori.

Her campaign focuses on restoring law and order and ending years of political instability that have seen eight presidents in a decade. She has pledged to bring discipline and stability to attract investment and create jobs. Keiko, who founded the Popular Force party, previously spent 13 months in detention during a corruption probe but was cleared in early 2025. Analysts note she is presenting a more moderate image this time.

Despite protests in Lima under the slogan “Keiko No Va,” observers say anti-Fujimori sentiment has softened among younger voters. If elected, she would become Peru’s ninth president in ten years, signaling a potential shift toward political stability.

A Peruvian military helicopter crashed during a flood rescue operation in the Arequipa region, killing at least 15 people, the country's air force confirmed on Monday, February 24, 2026. According to the air force statement, the victims included four crew members and eleven passengers. Rescue teams recovered the bodies at the crash site near the city of Chala, about 300 kilometers from Arequipa.

The Russian-made MI-17 helicopter lost radio contact while participating in the rescue mission. It had taken off from Pisco city in the Ica region before the crash. The Arequipa region has recently suffered severe flooding, prompting the military to conduct relief and rescue operations to assist affected residents.

Authorities have not yet provided details on the cause of the crash, but the incident underscores the risks faced by rescue teams operating in disaster-hit areas.

A devastating fire at a restaurant in Huancané, a town in Peru’s Andean Puno region near the Bolivian border, killed ten university students and injured three others. The victims, aged between 17 and 23, were attending a birthday celebration when the blaze broke out on Thursday afternoon, according to police reports released Friday.

Authorities said the students were trapped on the second floor of the Kalma Tripa restaurant, a structure made of wood and brick. Local residents attempted to extinguish the flames using fire extinguishers and water before firefighters arrived from Juliaca, nearly an hour later. Huancané’s mayor, Valerio Tapia, told state news agency Andina that the town of 20,000 residents has no fire service of its own.

Preliminary investigations suggest a gas cylinder explosion may have triggered the fire. Experts note that such incidents are frequent in Peru’s remote regions, where safety regulations on fuel storage are often poorly enforced. The tragedy has renewed calls for improved fire safety infrastructure in rural Andean towns.

At least 12 people have died and 25 others were injured after two boats sank in the Iparía River port in Peru’s central Ucayali region following a landslide. Local authorities reported that around 40 to 50 people remain missing. The incident occurred in the Amazon jungle area when a sudden landslide caused the anchored boats to submerge. Rescue teams, including the navy, are continuing search operations while families of the missing have gathered at the site. Captain Jonathan Novoa confirmed that nine bodies have been recovered so far. Images broadcast by local media showed luggage and goods floating in the river as distressed residents ran along the riverbank. Officials are working to determine the exact number of passengers on board and to identify the victims. The cause of the landslide is under investigation, and emergency services remain on high alert in the affected region.

In Peru’s Ucayali region, members of the Kakataibo Indigenous Guard are patrolling deep Amazon forests to protect their ancestral lands from illegal coca cultivation, which fuels cocaine production and threatens their environment and lives. Armed with traditional weapons and a few old firearms, they cross rivers and dense jungles to locate hidden coca fields. Similarly, in northern Peru, the Wampis Indigenous people have formed a volunteer patrol group called Charip in 2024 to stop illegal gold mining and deforestation. Despite limited government support, Charip has achieved early success by detaining corrupt police officers and destroying illegal dredging machines. However, the group now faces manpower shortages as members receive no pay and risk their lives to defend their territory. Peru, the world’s second-largest cocaine producer, has seen coca cultivation nearly double since 2013, driving deforestation, corruption, and violence that have claimed the lives of at least 20 Indigenous leaders.

At least 37 people were killed when a passenger bus plunged into a ravine in the Arequipa region of southern Peru, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The accident occurred on the Panamericana Sur highway near the Ocoña district. According to Arequipa’s regional health chief, Walther Oporto, 36 people died at the scene and one more succumbed to injuries in hospital. The bus reportedly collided with a van before veering off the road and falling into the ravine. Rescue teams and firefighters responded quickly, and 26 injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals, three of whom are in critical condition. The Arequipa regional government said it is providing medical assistance to the victims, while an initial highway patrol report confirmed at least 16 deaths before the full toll was verified.

Peru’s President Dina Boluarte has been removed from office following a historic impeachment vote by the country’s Congress. In a late-night session, 124 of 130 lawmakers voted in favor of her removal after she failed to appear to defend herself against four separate impeachment motions. Boluarte, who came to power in December 2022, faced criticism for her government’s inability to control violent crime, including murders and extortion, which have surged in recent months. Official figures show over 6,000 killings and nearly 16,000 extortion complaints this year, the highest since 2017. Hours before the vote, a shooting at a Lima concert heightened public anger. Prime Minister Eduardo Arana’s defense in Congress failed to change the outcome. Boluarte’s partial blame on illegal immigrants for the crime crisis also drew controversy.

Archaeologists have uncovered Péniko, a 3,500-year-old city in northern Peru’s Barranca province, believed to be connected to the Caral civilization, the oldest in the Americas. Located 200 km north of Lima at 600 meters elevation, the site includes 18 structures with religious and residential significance. Findings like mud sculptures and jewelry indicate it was a cultural and religious hub. Led by Dr. Ruth Shady, researchers suggest Péniko symbolizes the successor to Caral, thriving after climate change affected the earlier civilization.

Peru’s President Dina Boluarte has doubled her monthly salary to 35,500 soles (about $10,000), sparking widespread criticism amid the country’s economic struggles. With only a 2% approval rating, Boluarte’s decision contrasts sharply with the national minimum wage of 1,025 soles ($288). Many citizens view the raise as insensitive during a time of hardship. Boluarte assumed office in 2022 after the impeachment of former president Pedro Castillo and has faced several controversies since, including accusations of ignoring rising crime rates.

At least six people were killed, and 74 others injured when the roof of a food court collapsed at a shopping mall in Peru, according to AFP. Fire department commander Gelqui Gomez confirmed the fatalities, while local health official Anibal Morillo updated the number of injured, including 10 children and 12 critically wounded individuals.