On Sunday Morning a Significant M5.6 Earthquake struck in the South Pacific Ocean near Callao (Peru).

Written by Earthquakelist.org on June 15th, 2025. Last updated July 20th, 2025.

A significant Magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck in the South Pacific Ocean 37 kilometer from Callao, Peru around noon of Sunday June 15th, 2025. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. Earthquakes like this can cause significant economic damage and have a significant risk at casualties.

Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the South Pacific Ocean, 31 kilometers (20 mi) off the coast of Peru, 37 kilometer west-southwest of Callao. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 40 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Jun 15, 2025 11:35 (Lima Time) - Jun 15, 2025 16:35 Universal Time.
Location:	37 km WSW of Callao, Peru. Coordinates 12°9'57"S 77°26'30"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.6 Detected by 17 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.075 .
Depth:	40 km (25 mi) A quite shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	VI Strong On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Significant impact predicted

The US Geographic Survey (USGS) describes the impact of this earthquake as follows:

One person killed at Callao and 1 at Lima. One hundred and thirty-five persons injured, 4 homes destroyed and at least 164 damaged; at least 155 buildings and 1 road damaged; landslides and service outages reported in the Callao-Lima-Huaura-Huaral-Huarochiri area.

Based on scientific estimates by the USGS, the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level YELLOW (significant). They expect an 46% likelyhood of between 1 and 10 fatalities, and a 95% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 100.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level YELLOW (significant). They expect an 47% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 99% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 100 million USD.

Roughly 13 million people exposed to shaking

The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 13 million have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.

An estimated 435,500 people were exposed to level VI. At this level, strong shaking and probably light damage can be expected. Intensity level V was experienced by the majority of people (around 8 million). In their region, moderate shaking and very light damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Peru .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
2,800	II	Very weak	None
1,368,000	III	Weak	Probably none
2,546,000	IV	Light	Likely none
8,312,000	V	Moderate	Very light
435,500	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Peru . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Callao in Callao, Peru. Callao is located 37 kilometer (23 mi) west-southwest of the epicenter. Callao experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly V. That level implies moderate shaking and very light damage.

Multiple large cities are in proximity of today's earthquake. Lima is located 47 km to the east-northeast and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage). Callao is located 37 km to the east-northeast and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage). Santiago de Surco is located 47 km to the east and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage).

An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below. If places don't have intensity data available, it likely means the experienced impact in those places was fairly small.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
37 km (23 mi) ENE from epicenter	Callao Callao, Peru.	V Moderate
39 km (24 mi) ENE from epicenter	Carmen De La Legua Reynoso Callao, Peru.	V Moderate
44 km (27 mi) ENE from epicenter	Breña Lima Region, Peru.	V Moderate
44 km (27 mi) E from epicenter	San Isidro Lima Region, Peru.	VI Strong
44 km (27 mi) ENE from epicenter	Jesus Maria Lima Region, Peru.	V Moderate
47 km (29 mi) E from epicenter	Santiago de Surco Lima Region, Peru.	V Moderate
47 km (29 mi) ENE from epicenter	Lima Lima Region, Peru.	V Moderate
49 km (30 mi) E from epicenter	San Francisco De Borja Lima Region, Peru.	V Moderate
53 km (33 mi) ENE from epicenter	Santa Anita - Los Ficus Lima Region, Peru.	V Moderate
69 km (43 mi) NNE from epicenter	Chancay Lima Region, Peru.	IV Light
79 km (49 mi) NNE from epicenter	Huaral Lima Region, Peru.	IV Light
83 km (52 mi) ENE from epicenter	Chosica Lima Region, Peru.	IV Light
104 km (65 mi) ESE from epicenter	Mala Lima Region, Peru.	IV Light
119 km (74 mi) N from epicenter	Huacho Lima Region, Peru.	IV Light
120 km (75 mi) N from epicenter	Hualmay Lima Region, Peru.	IV Light
123 km (76 mi) N from epicenter	Huaura Lima Region, Peru.	IV Light
153 km (95 mi) SE from epicenter	San Vicente de Cañete Lima Region, Peru.	III Weak
154 km (96 mi) SE from epicenter	Imperial Lima Region, Peru.	III Weak
158 km (98 mi) SE from epicenter	Nuevo Imperial Lima Region, Peru.	III Weak
161 km (100 mi) NNW from epicenter	Barranca Lima Region, Peru.	III Weak
172 km (107 mi) NNW from epicenter	Paramonga Lima Region, Peru.	III Weak
183 km (114 mi) ENE from epicenter	La Oroya Junin, Peru.	III Weak
193 km (120 mi) NE from epicenter	Junín Junin, Peru.	III Weak
198 km (123 mi) SE from epicenter	Chincha Alta Ica, Peru.	III Weak
208 km (129 mi) ENE from epicenter	Tarma Junin, Peru.	III Weak
211 km (131 mi) NE from epicenter	Yanacancha Pasco, Peru.	III Weak
211 km (131 mi) NE from epicenter	Cerro de Pasco Pasco, Peru.	III Weak
216 km (134 mi) ENE from epicenter	Jauja Junin, Peru.
218 km (135 mi) SE from epicenter	San Clemente Ica, Peru.	III Weak
218 km (135 mi) SE from epicenter	Pisco Ica, Peru.	III Weak
223 km (139 mi) NNE from epicenter	Chaupimarca Pasco, Peru.	III Weak
231 km (144 mi) NNE from epicenter	Yanacancha Huanuco, Peru.
243 km (151 mi) E from epicenter	Huancayo Junin, Peru.
244 km (152 mi) E from epicenter	Chilca Junin, Peru.
246 km (153 mi) NNW from epicenter	Huarmey Ancash, Peru.
277 km (172 mi) ESE from epicenter	Huancavelica Huancavelica, Peru.
281 km (175 mi) NNE from epicenter	Huánuco Huanuco, Peru.
281 km (175 mi) SE from epicenter	Ica Ica, Peru.
293 km (182 mi) N from epicenter	Huaraz Ancash, Peru.
295 km (183 mi) N from epicenter	Centenario Ancash, Peru.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is VI.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 184 people in 2 countries

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 184 people have reported shaking in 12 places in 2 countries (Ecuador, Peru).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

San Luis, Lima Provincias, Peru: 90 people.
Lima, Lima Provincias, Peru: 77 people.
Santa María, Lima Provincias, Peru: 7 people.
Huaraz, Ancash, Peru: 2 people.
Piñas, El Oro, Ecuador: 1 person.
Nicolás de Pierola, Arequipa, Peru: 1 person.
Celendín, Cajamarca, Peru: 1 person.
Ica, Ica, Peru: 1 person.
Caleta de Carquín, Lima Provincias, Peru: 1 person.
Chilca, Lima Provincias, Peru: 1 person.

3 Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 3 smaller aftershocks occurred. A 4.2 magnitude earthquake hit 1 day later 4 km (2.2 mi) east of this earthquake.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.6	Jun 15, 2025 11:35 (Lima Time)	-
Aftershock	M 3.6	28 mins later Jun 15, 2025 12:03 (Lima Time)	5 km (3 mi) SW from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.2	1 day later Jun 16, 2025 12:40 (Lima Time)	4 km (2.2 mi) E from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 3.7	2 days later Jun 17, 2025 00:31 (Lima Time)	29 km (18 mi) N from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this are common in the region

Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since November 5th, 2024, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 255 km (158 mi) further east-southeast. An even stronger magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck on October 28th, 2022.

In total, 6 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.6 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 2 years.

Low tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.6. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 40 km (25 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 20/07/25 02:28 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.