Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-ir) -- A very strong earthquake struck late last night, shaking the border region of Ecuador and Peru and was felt throughout several cities in Peru's northeastern region just a day after a deadly temblor rocked northern Chile.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake was a 6.7 in magnitude and located its epicenter 74 miles deep and 150 miles southeast of the Ecuador capital, Quito.

Peru's Geophysics Institute reported that the epicenter of the quake was 150 miles from Santa María de Nieva, a town in the Amazonas Region. Local media reported that the temblor was felt in the cities of Iquitos (Loreto), Moyabamba (San Martín), Jaén (Amazonas), Tumbes, Piura and Trujillo.

According to reports from local media in Ecuador, the earthquake was felt in the cities of Quito, Guayaquil, Ambato, Riobamba, Portoviejo, Morona, Loja, Latacunga, Jaramijo and Machala.

The earthquake was exactly three months after the magnitude-8 quake shook and destroyed the Region of Ica on August 15, leaving over 500 dead and tens of thousands homeless.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, said Peru's Civil Defense Institute and Ecuador's Red Cross.