What to Do When There Is an Earthquake | Peru INDECI, Tsunami and Emergency Safety Guide

If an earthquake begins while you are in Peru, stay calm, move away from glass and heavy objects, and take immediate protection in the nearest suitable earthquake-safe area. If you cannot reach the identified safe space quickly, get low, cover your head and neck and shelter beneath sturdy furniture when possible. Do not rush into a crowded staircase or lift while the building is shaking. Peru’s National Institute of Civil Defence, INDECI, specifically advises identifying safer areas in advance and choosing immediate cover if an exit cannot be reached safely.

After the shaking stops, check injuries, building damage, gas and electrical hazards, and follow the current instructions of local authorities. Avoid visibly damaged buildings and expect aftershocks. If someone needs urgent rescue, call 116 for firefighters, 106 for SAMU medical emergencies where the service operates, or 105 for police. Peru’s official emergency directory also lists 115 for Civil Defence. If you are close to the Pacific shoreline after strong or prolonged shaking, move away from the coast towards designated tsunami safety areas once you can move safely, without waiting to see a wave.

This guide serves residents, families, students, workers and visitors in Lima, Callao, Arequipa, Ica, Pisco, Trujillo, Piura, Tumbes, Moquegua, Tacna, Cusco, Puno, Ancash and other regions of Peru. It explains the first seconds, earthquake reports, coastal tsunami decisions, school procedures, roads, safe buildings, families and recovery. For authoritative local instructions use INDECI’s earthquake guide, the Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) and your municipality or regional civil-defence office. This is general earthquake safety education, not a forecast or live damage report.

Quick answer: 12 actions to take

During shaking, stay away from windows and unsecured furniture. Protect your head and neck, and use the nearest suitable identified safe area.
If you cannot reach a safe exit quickly, take cover rather than racing downstairs. Avoid lifts during and after a significant quake.
Outside, stay away from building façades, high walls, signs, poles, electrical lines and unstable slopes.
Driving, slow smoothly and stop in a safer open area if possible, avoiding bridges and loose structures.
After movement stops, check injuries and report urgent rescue or medical needs.
Call 116 for Bomberos, 106 for SAMU, 105 for Policía, and 115 for relevant Civil Defence contact, as appropriate.
If you smell gas, avoid switches and flames, leave the danger area and seek trained assistance.
Do not enter an obviously damaged building merely to recover a phone or belongings.
At the coast, follow a tsunami evacuation plan after strong or prolonged shaking; avoid beaches, harbours and low river mouths.
Use text messages for ordinary family updates rather than repeated calls that may congest networks.
Expect réplicas (aftershocks) and stay clear of weakened walls, cliffs and damaged roads.
Return only when safe access is authorised, and check water, sanitation, power and structure before normal use.

The INDECI official earthquake advice and a 2026 Ministry of Health preparedness notice support these core actions.

Understand why Peru has frequent seismic hazards

Peru lies along the Pacific margin, where tectonic movement makes earthquakes a recurring natural hazard. Large events can produce damaging ground shaking, and some undersea earthquakes may produce tsunamis. The level of danger differs by location, depth, geology and building construction.

The presence of seismic activity does not mean scientists can determine the precise date and hour of a future damaging earthquake. A headline about a recent smaller tremor is not a reliable countdown to a larger one.

Preparedness is therefore more useful than prediction. Households can identify suitable spaces, practise responses, secure furniture and plan how to meet without depending on electricity or mobile internet.

The relevant question is what can fall, collapse, burn or block access where you are, not whether a video online claims the next quake is due tomorrow.

INDECI: the official guide to protective action

The Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil, or INDECI, publishes preparedness guidance for households, schools and communities. Its earthquake recommendations cover identifying safe spaces, emergency kits, drills, staying clear of falling objects, gas checks and aftershocks.

The guidance is built around practical responses before, during and after shaking. It recognises that a person cannot always reach a building exit quickly and should then use nearby protection rather than risk a dangerous sprint.

Municipal and regional civil-defence authorities also have roles in identifying local assembly points and affected buildings. A national guide does not provide one safe doorway or park for every address.

Follow the identified plan for your building and the actual conditions of the event instead of assuming the same room or exit is suitable everywhere.

Know your safe area before the ground moves

An earthquake safe area should be identified with the building’s layout, structural features, heavy furniture and available exits in mind. The official term zona segura may appear on school, office and hotel signage.

A sturdy structure and an interior location away from heavy objects may provide better protection than glass-fronted rooms or areas beneath tall shelves. A qualified assessment can help identify the appropriate building-specific spaces.

Do not assume every doorway is safe or that an exterior balcony provides immediate refuge. The easiest place to reach may still have falling glass or unsecured cabinets above it.

Practise reaching the appropriate location without a long run across rooms. A zone only helps if people can use it within the time available without creating more exposure.

During shaking in a house or apartment

If you are indoors, move away from windows, hanging lights, mirrors, bookcases and equipment that could fall. Take suitable cover nearby, keep your head and neck protected and wait for the most dangerous movement to pass.

Do not run into a lift or push through a narrow stairway while the building sways. A resident on an upper floor may have to use the nearest safe interior place rather than attempt to reach the street during intense shaking.

Afterwards, check for broken glass, unstable masonry, fallen ceilings and damaged exits. An intact front door does not establish that a building’s stairs and structure are safe.

A family should separate the protection during the quake from the decision whether and how to evacuate afterward.

Why building construction matters

Two homes near one another may respond differently to the same earthquake because of structural design, construction quality, changes made to the building and local ground conditions.

A newer paint job, solid-looking wall or unbroken window does not necessarily mean the foundations and load-bearing components are undamaged. An old building is not automatically doomed, but it may require appropriate professional evaluation.

Families should use qualified engineers for relevant structural reinforcement or assessment. INDECI recommends strengthening housing as part of preparedness.

Do not modify columns, load-bearing walls or other important elements without proper authorisation and engineering advice. Good earthquake safety starts with sound buildings and sensible interior arrangements.

High-rise flats and shared stairways

In a multistorey building, residents may feel noticeable sway, particularly on higher floors. That experience can be frightening but does not itself give a reliable assessment of structural failure.

During shaking, protect yourself away from glass and unsecured objects. After shaking, listen to management and emergency authorities about the condition of exit routes and lifts.

If evacuation is necessary, follow a safe designated stairway rather than relying on a lift that may have stopped or become damaged. Avoid crowding a staircase with broken tiles or cracks.

People needing mobility assistance should have a plan that does not depend entirely on working elevators. The evacuation procedure must consider every resident, not only those who can run downstairs.

In schools and university buildings

Students should learn a clear procedure: move away from windows, protect the head, use the identified safe area, then follow the teacher after shaking ends.

Teachers and school leaders should know who supervises each group, where pupils will assemble and which route may be used if a corridor or external wall is damaged.

Parents may be tempted to drive through congested roads to reach a child, but that can disrupt emergency access. Follow school announcements and the established reunification procedure.

A student with a disability, prescribed medicines or other care need requires practical support. A good drill is one that keeps the whole class accounted for and protected.

At work, in a market or warehouse

Workplaces can have hazards beyond the shaking itself: stacked inventory, suspended equipment, glass displays, gas systems, electrical cabinets and moving machinery.

Employees should know where the identified protection spaces are and who has authority to stop operations. After shaking, do not restart equipment simply because the power has returned or the shopfront remains intact.

Check for structural damage, exposed wiring and unstable shelves. Keep customers away from loose signage and cracked walls. A fire or chemical incident may require a different immediate response from ordinary assembly.

Worker safety and correct hazard assessment must precede restoring business operations.

Outside: avoid façades, wires and walls

Streets can be dangerous during and after a quake because masonry, tiles, signs, glass and roof elements may fall. Move away from obvious falling hazards if it can be done without crossing a more dangerous route.

Do not stand beneath an exposed balcony while waiting for friends. Avoid fallen power lines and structures that have shifted or developed cracks.

If you are already in an open space away from buildings and overhead objects, stay there until shaking stops, protecting your head.

Afterwards, do not choose a square as a gathering point without considering its surrounding façades, poles and overhead wires. Open ground is useful only when it is free from nearby collapse and debris hazards.

Driving during an earthquake

If shaking begins while driving, slow progressively and stop where conditions allow, avoiding bridges, tunnels, large buildings, slopes or overhead lines when a safer position is available.

Do not abruptly brake in heavy traffic or attempt a dangerous turn solely to reach a familiar side street. Following the quake, road surfaces, bridges and embankments may have been damaged.

Check local road authority restrictions before continuing. A navigation app may not know that a bridge or coastal road has been closed for inspection.

If an essential journey must be made, seek an authorised safe route. Preserving vehicle control matters more than reaching the destination on schedule.

Hotels, airports and visitors

Visitors may not know Spanish terms or building-specific assembly points. On arrival, identify the hotel or rental’s emergency route and the nearest safe location. Keep passport, essential medication and a phone available.

During shaking, protect yourself where you are. Afterwards, follow staff and local authority instructions, avoiding lifts and visibly damaged exits.

If a journey is interrupted, do not attempt to bypass closures to reach the airport or a reserved tour. A flight ticket is not a safety assessment.

At coastal hotels, ask about the tsunami evacuation route in addition to indoor earthquake protection. A visitor may need to make a second rapid decision once shaking stops.

The IGP: observations, not a prediction machine

The Instituto Geofísico del Perú, or IGP, monitors earthquakes and publishes scientific information on seismic events. These reports help explain the magnitude, depth and location after an earthquake has occurred.

They do not establish a reliable exact date or time for the next event. A social-media claim that a particular magnitude earthquake will strike Lima on a named date should not be treated as scientific fact.

The magnitude describes the earthquake’s overall size, while felt shaking and damage depend on location, geology and buildings. A magnitude number alone is not a safe-re-entry certificate.

Use scientific observations to understand the event and local emergency instructions to decide how to protect people.

Do not confuse earthquake magnitude with intensity

Magnitude estimates a seismic event’s overall size. Intensity concerns the local ground shaking and its effects. A region far from the source may experience different shaking from a town closer to it.

A building’s damage can also differ because of construction and ground conditions. One neighbour’s intact walls do not guarantee the safety of a structure with new cracks.

Do not decide that an apartment is safe because a news headline uses a number that appears moderate. Use visible hazards, official closures and qualified assessment.

A family needs to act on local conditions, not on a single figure displayed on a phone.

Emergency telephone numbers in Peru

Peru’s official government emergency directory lists the following important services:

105 — Policía Nacional del Perú, for police emergencies.
106 — SAMU, the public mobile urgent medical assistance service in areas where it operates.
116 — Bomberos Voluntarios del Perú, for fire and emergency response.
115 — Defensa Civil, listed as a Civil Defence contact.
110 — Policía de Carreteras, for police-related highway matters where appropriate.
119 — family voice-message service, not an ambulance or rescue dispatcher.

The official SAMU instructions explain how 106 supports urgent medical assessment and dispatch. Coverage and local operations vary.

A planned 911 unified emergency project has been developed in Peru, but do not replace the currently published official 105/106/116 numbers with an assumed nationwide 911 service without specific current confirmation.

What to say when asking for rescue

An emergency operator needs location and actionable details: region, province, district, street address, building name or floor, nearest landmark, nature of danger and number of people.

For example: “Two people trapped on the third floor in this district; staircase cracked; one person cannot walk; no fire is visible.” Such information is much more helpful than an unspecific report that there was an earthquake.

Say whether electrical cables, gas or debris are present and whether responders can use the normal street. Keep a phone available for callbacks where possible.

The quality of location information can materially affect the response, particularly in a damaged neighbourhood with multiple blocked routes.

Medical first aid after the earthquake

For serious bleeding, breathing difficulty, major trauma, loss of consciousness or other urgent symptoms, seek trained medical assistance. The Ministry of Health’s disaster first-aid guidance prioritises ensuring the rescuer’s safety, alerting the appropriate service and providing care within one’s competence.

Do not enter unstable rubble as an untrained rescuer. If a person may have significant spinal injury, avoid unnecessary movement unless needed to escape immediate danger or directed by professionals.

Follow dispatcher instructions for CPR when someone is not breathing normally. Do not force drinks into someone who is unconscious or cannot swallow.

A rescue attempt is successful only when it protects the casualty without creating new casualties.

Aftershocks: continue to protect yourself

Aftershocks can follow a large earthquake, and weakened structures may be particularly vulnerable. The absence of shaking for several hours does not establish that every risk has ended.

Avoid damaged walls, unsafe stairways and loose façade material. If another tremor occurs in a suitable building, repeat the immediate protective action.

Stay informed through IGP observations and local government directions, but avoid treating rumours about the exact next aftershock as a reliable forecast.

Do not return to a restricted building solely because the street has become calm.

Gas leaks, fire and electrical damage

A quake may damage gas pipes, cylinders or cooking equipment. If gas is suspected, avoid matches, candles, smoking and electrical switches nearby, leave the area and seek professional or emergency assistance.

Downed cables and damaged electrical boards can remain hazardous even when power is off. Keep children away and seek qualified assessment rather than improvising repairs.

If water from broken plumbing reaches electrical equipment, do not enter to turn off power while standing in water. Use a dry safe isolation point only when appropriate and trained.

Secondary fires or electrocution can occur after the shaking has ended, making utility safety a distinct recovery decision.

Tsunami risk on Peru’s Pacific coast

A sufficiently large offshore earthquake may cause a tsunami. Most earthquakes do not generate a damaging one, but coastal communities must understand evacuation routes and official warnings.

If you are on a low coast and experience strong or prolonged shaking, protect yourself during movement, then follow local tsunami evacuation guidance to higher safe ground or a designated inland area when it is safe to move.

Do not go to a beach, port or river mouth to inspect whether the sea has withdrawn. A visible retreat is not a universal warning sign, and several surges may arrive over time.

INDECI’s guidance specifically advises leaving the coastal zone after an earthquake until the possibility of a maremoto has been ruled out. Local tsunami instructions take priority over curiosity or normal transport plans.

Where to find tsunami guidance and safe routes

Coastal municipalities and responsible maritime and civil-defence services may identify evacuation zones, routes and gathering points. Learn the plan for your actual location before a disaster.

A tourist in a seaside hotel should ask staff which route reaches designated higher ground, not assume a fixed walking distance from the beach is sufficient. An estuary or low river crossing may complicate the route.

If an official tsunami alert applies without strong local shaking, follow the instruction even if the sea looks normal. A distant-source event may arrive without a nearby earthquake.

Natural warning signs and official maritime alerts are different but valid reasons to act, depending on the event.

Mountain landslides and rockfall

Earthquake shaking can destabilise slopes in Peru’s mountain and valley terrain. Rockfall, damaged retaining walls or landslides may block roads and isolate communities.

Avoid steep road cuts, fresh debris and visibly cracked terrain until authorities evaluate access. Do not cross a slide because one pedestrian has already passed.

Heavy rain after an earthquake may further affect an unstable slope. A route that was safe before the main quake may become unsafe following an aftershock.

A mountain road reopening requires local technical assessment, not just the absence of visible movement at one moment.

Children and family reunification

A family plan should include where members will gather, who helps children and dependent adults, and which contact outside the local area can receive status updates.

Do not send children to walk alone through cracked streets or damaged bridges to reach home. Schools should supervise pupils until safe collection is arranged.

Keep instructions simple for young children: “Protect your head now; after shaking stops, stay with the teacher or adult and follow the safe route.”

Families should practise before an emergency, including what to do if mobile networks are congested or a caregiver is unavailable.

What a family emergency backpack should contain

Essential medication, prescriptions and first-aid supplies.
Safe drinking water and practical non-perishable food.
Identification and key documents protected from water.
Flashlight, batteries, charged phone and power bank.
Sturdy shoes, suitable clothing and blankets.
Infant feeding supplies, nappies and age-appropriate materials.
Glasses, hearing aids, mobility devices and other essential accessibility equipment.
A written family meeting point and emergency contact list.
Small cash and keys where available.
A suitable pet lead or carrier if it does not delay human safety.

INDECI recommends tailoring the mochila de emergencia to the household’s actual members. The bag should be easy to reach and light enough to carry.

A backpack is not a reason to delay protective cover or re-enter an unsafe building.

Older adults and disability access

A resident who uses a wheelchair, cannot climb stairs or depends on powered medical devices requires a plan that works when lifts and normal transport stop.

Agree on safe immediate protection, the appropriate helper and an accessible post-quake route. Store essential medical information and equipment in a place that does not require entering a dangerous room.

When requesting emergency assistance, describe the person’s location and specific needs. A statement such as “one person cannot descend stairs; third floor; access road open on this side” helps responders prepare.

The purpose of emergency planning is to make safety possible for all household members, not merely for someone able to run.

Infants, pregnancy and ongoing medical treatment

Families with infants should prepare suitable feeding supplies and clean water. Do not dilute formula incorrectly or use potentially contaminated water after a utility disruption.

Pregnant people and patients requiring dialysis, oxygen or other regular treatment may need continuity plans with healthcare providers before a disaster.

If essential medical care is interrupted, seek professional guidance and an appropriate safe referral route. Do not drive across a damaged bridge to reach an ordinary appointment without checking access.

Medical needs and safe movement must be planned together.

Drinking water after a significant quake

Damaged water pipes and storage tanks can create contamination. Follow local water-supplier or health authority notices and use verified safe water.

Boiling can reduce many microbial hazards when recommended, but does not remove many chemical contaminants. If a fuel or chemical leak affects a source, obtain an alternative safe supply.

Use safe water for food preparation and infant feeding. Keep containers covered and prevent contamination during storage and dispensing.

A home may look structurally intact while its water supply is unsuitable for use.

Food, electricity and temporary accommodation

Power outages can spoil food and affect refrigerators. Use appropriate food-safety guidance and discard items that have been contaminated or held at unsafe temperatures.

If a building cannot be safely occupied, seek an officially designated temporary shelter or another safe location. A public gym or school is not automatically open; confirm the current arrangements with municipal authorities.

Communicate urgent needs for medication, accessibility, food or infant care to shelter staff. Do not use unsafe indoor fuel generators or charcoal stoves in an attempt to restore comfort.

Recovery priorities are life, medical care, safe shelter, clean water and utilities before furniture or business inventory.

What to do if someone is trapped under debris

Call 116 or another appropriate emergency response service and provide the exact last-known position, number of people, injuries and building access information.

Do not move large structural components or dig deeply into unstable rubble without trained supervision. A shift can trigger further collapse and injure rescuers.

If you are trapped, try to conserve energy, shield your mouth from dust where possible, and signal rescuers with a phone, whistle or tapping when safe. Avoid open flames around possible gas leaks.

Precise information and safe access can be as valuable as a poorly planned physical intervention.

During the first hour: communication and roads

Check whether everyone in your immediate group is safe. If a person is missing, report useful last-known information rather than launching an uncoordinated search into damaged buildings.

Send concise messages to a trusted contact outside the area. INDECI recommends text messages or 119 family communications to reduce ordinary voice-network congestion after disasters.

Avoid unnecessary travel. Road space may be needed by ambulances, fire vehicles and technical crews. A navigation app may still show an unsafe road.

Getting people safely accounted for matters more than immediately visiting every relative’s address.

When a building appears damaged

Major new cracks, displaced walls, exposed reinforcement, leaning structures or a damaged stairwell require caution and appropriate engineering assessment.

Do not patch over cracks with paint or plaster and declare the building safe. A qualified assessment may be needed before reoccupation. An exterior photograph does not reveal all internal structural damage.

If authorities or building management restrict access, obey the notice. If essential medication remains inside, seek appropriate supervised assistance rather than entering alone.

Re-entry permission and actual structural suitability are separate questions.

Work and school reopening

A school may be structurally sound but have an unsafe access road or fallen wall. An office may have electricity but damaged overhead equipment. Reopening decisions need responsible inspection and safe access.

Parents should follow official school communications rather than force a pickup through closed streets. Employers should not require staff to enter a damaged property to recover records or finish shifts.

When reopening is authorised, restart services in stages with attention to fire, electrical, gas and sanitation risks.

A normal timetable is not evidence that the environment has returned to normal safety.

Scenario 1: strong shaking in a Lima apartment

Imagine a family in a Lima apartment when books begin falling and the floor moves strongly. The family protects heads and necks in nearby suitable safe areas rather than rushing to the lift.

After shaking stops, they check for injury and damaged stairs, follow building instructions and move to a designated safe location if needed. They do not re-enter a visibly damaged area for electronics.

This is a fictional example, not a report of an actual earthquake. Its lesson is cover first; evacuation is a later decision based on safety.

Scenario 2: coastal hotel guests in Pisco

Visitors at a low coastal hotel feel prolonged, powerful shaking. During the quake they protect themselves from falling objects. Afterward, they follow the local tsunami route away from the shore.

They do not wait for a wave or return for luggage. They contact relatives from the safe area and follow maritime and municipal announcements before returning.

The lesson is the tsunami decision may need to follow immediately after earthquake cover.

Scenario 3: gas is suspected after shaking

A resident notices a damaged kitchen fitting and a gas smell. Rather than operating an electrical switch, they leave the area and contact the appropriate fire or utility service.

They keep children away and wait for professional guidance before resuming use of the kitchen.

This demonstrates secondary gas and fire danger can remain after the quake itself ends.

Scenario 4: a mountain road closes after rockfall

A driver in a mountainous district sees fresh rocks and a road closure after earthquake shaking. A navigation app suggests a short side track beneath another cliff.

The driver follows the closure and looks for an authorised route instead of attempting the shortcut. The delay may be significant, but a second rockfall could create a much worse emergency.

The lesson is road access must be based on actual safe conditions, not ordinary map routes.

Scenario 5: a school keeps children at an assembly point

A school moves pupils to its safe assembly area after a quake, but a bridge normally used by parents has been closed for inspection.

Parents follow the school reunification process and avoid driving around the barricade. Students stay supervised until a safe collection can be arranged.

This example shows reliable communication is a critical part of family safety after a disaster.

Scenario 6: an older neighbour needs evacuation help

An older resident cannot use stairs, and the apartment lift is suspended after a significant quake. Neighbours call the appropriate response service and report the exact floor and mobility need.

They do not attempt an unsafe carrying manoeuvre through a visibly damaged stairwell. With help, a safe plan can be coordinated.

The lesson is clear information about accessibility needs is more valuable than an impulsive unsafe transfer.

Common Peru earthquake mistakes

“I should rush down the stairs during shaking.” Protect yourself in the nearest suitable area.
“The lift is faster, so it is safer.” Avoid lifts during significant quakes and in damaged buildings.
“Only houses beside the coast need earthquake preparation.” Shaking can affect inland cities and mountain communities.
“A magnitude number tells me my apartment’s structural condition.” Local intensity and building performance vary.
“Every earthquake causes a tsunami.” Most do not, but coastal natural warnings and official instructions are important.
“I must wait for the sea to retreat before evacuating.” A visible retreat is not guaranteed.
“The quake is over so there is no more danger.” Aftershocks, gas, electricity and unstable slopes remain.
“A match helps find a gas leak.” Flames and sparks can create an explosion hazard.
“If a neighbour enters a damaged building I can too.” Re-entry requires appropriate assessment.
“The road is safe because the app shows it.” Bridges and cliffs may be damaged.
“The planned 911 project replaces all existing emergency numbers.” Use the currently published official services rather than assuming a rollout is complete.
“119 sends an ambulance.” It is a family messaging service; use emergency medical or fire contacts for rescue.
“I should move rubble to help without checking stability.” Untrained intervention can cause another collapse.
“An emergency bag should be retrieved during shaking.” Immediate physical protection comes first.
“Everyone can use the same stairway or shelter.” Disability and medical needs require appropriate plans.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do immediately if an earthquake starts in Peru?

Move away from windows and falling objects, protect your head and neck, and use a suitable identified safe area. If you cannot reach an exit quickly, take nearby cover; do not rush into a lift.

What are Peru’s main emergency telephone numbers?

116 firefighters, 106 SAMU medical service where operating, 105 police and 115 Civil Defence. Use the service matching the immediate danger.

Is 911 already Peru’s nationwide unified emergency number?

Peru has developed a unified 911 project, but current official public emergency directories still list 105, 106 and 116. Do not assume a national 911 rollout has replaced them without confirmation.

What does INDECI recommend after shaking?

Check gas leaks, injuries and structural hazards, stay clear of damaged buildings, prepare for aftershocks and follow official local instructions.

How do I check the magnitude of an earthquake?

Use the Instituto Geofísico del Perú and other authoritative seismic bulletins. The reported magnitude is scientific observation, not a building safety certificate.

What should people on the Peruvian coast do?

After strong or prolonged shaking, follow the designated tsunami evacuation route away from low shoreline areas once movement is safe, and wait for official clearance.

Can aftershocks occur hours later?

Yes. The timing and size of individual aftershocks cannot be guaranteed. Continue avoiding damaged structures.

What is the 119 service used for?

It is a family voice-message service, not a fire or ambulance dispatcher. Short texts can also help communicate when networks are congested.

When can I return to a damaged home?

Only when relevant authorities or qualified professionals have assessed safe access and significant structural, gas, electrical and water hazards.

Official Peru earthquake resources and related eduKate guides

Editorial review: 7 November 2026. General safety information only. Follow current INDECI, IGP, municipal, maritime and emergency authorities for real conditions. This guide does not predict earthquakes or certify any building.