PERU · EARTHQUAKE
Key Facts
- What A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck the Pacific off Peru’s Ica region at 11:43 Lima time on Friday 13 November.
- Where About 102 km west of San Juan de Marcona, at sea, at a depth of 32 km.
- Impact Civil defence reports no damage or injuries so far; the navy’s hydrography directorate says there is no tsunami threat.
- Context Pope Leo XIV is on an 11–16 November visit to Peru, with no stop planned in Ica.
- As of Friday 13 November 2026, 14:00 ET (19:00 UTC).
A strong offshore quake shook southern Peru in the middle of the Pope’s visit, but so far officials report no damage and no tsunami threat.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake shook Peru’s southern coast at 11:43 local time (16:43 UTC) on Friday 13 November 2026, according to the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP), the national seismology agency. The epicentre lay at sea, 102 km west of San Juan de Marcona, a coastal town in Nasca province, Ica region, at a depth of 32 km.
The shaking came during Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Peru, which runs from 11 to 16 November. The Vatican programme mainly covers Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa, so the earthquake zone is not on his route.
What Officials Say
Peru’s National Civil Defence Institute (INDECI) said at 12:38 p.m. that no material damage or injuries had been reported. First-response units and local authorities were still monitoring vulnerable areas.
The IGP rated the shaking at intensity IV in San Juan de Marcona on the Modified Mercalli scale, which runs from I to XII. INDECI said it was felt lightly in towns including Ica, Pisco, Nasca and Paracas, and moderately in Chincha Alta, Marcona and Palpa.
The Navy’s Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation said the event does not generate a tsunami on the Peruvian coast. The US Geological Survey (USGS) lists the same quake at magnitude 5.8 and a depth of 10 km.
Why Southern Peru Shakes
Peru sits where the Nazca tectonic plate slides under South America, and the coast of Ica region feels frequent moderate quakes. Our earlier reports include the major Ayacucho earthquake of August and the Pucallpa quake felt across the Brazil border in July.
What It Means for You
Travellers in Ica region, home to the Paracas coast and the Nasca area, should follow guidance from local authorities. INDECI advises people to avoid panic, move to safe zones under their family evacuation plan and keep an emergency backpack ready.
Readers following the papal trip will find the latest in our Peru news page and in our report on the Pope’s Mass in Chiclayo.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether aftershocks will follow. Civil defence said its monitoring of vulnerable areas was continuing when it issued its note.
Frequently Asked Questions
How strong was the earthquake in Peru on 13 November 2026?
The Geophysical Institute of Peru measured magnitude 5.9 at 11:43 local time, at a depth of 32 km. The US Geological Survey lists magnitude 5.8.
Is there a tsunami threat in Peru?
No. The Peruvian Navy’s hydrography directorate said the earthquake does not generate a tsunami on the Peruvian coast.
Did the earthquake affect Pope Leo XIV’s visit?
Not so far. The epicentre was at sea off Ica region, and the Pope’s programme mainly covers Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa.
Sources: Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP) as relayed by INDECI, press note of 13 November 2026 (gob.pe/indeci); US Geological Survey, event us7000ty1a (usgs.gov); Vatican programme of the visit to Peru, 11–16 November.
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