A powerful earthquake struck Peru's Andes region overnight, killing at least five people, injuring more than 20 others and forcing hundreds from their homes as buildings, including a church, collapsed. Authorities said an unknown number of people remain missing, and the disaster has prompted an emergency response in the affected central Peruvian communities.

The magnitude 5.5 quake hit shortly after 9:20pm on Saturday near the city of Sicaya, according to the US Geological Survey. Peru's national authorities reported that at least 300 residents were displaced by the damage, with search efforts continuing as officials assess the full scale of the destruction.