STORY: A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Peru's Ica region on Tuesday (May 19), damaging a local cemetery and exposing coffins after niche walls collapsed.

The tremor caused significant damage at Saraja cemetery, where approximately 20 niches in the San Benito section crumbled, leaving coffins exposed amongst the rubble.

"What we are seeing is the area of the San Benito quarter, more or less some 20 niches have fallen, and at the front too, it has fallen at the front part," said a cemetery guard as he surveyed the destruction.

Defence Minister Amadeo Javier Flores travelled to the affected region to coordinate response efforts and assess the damage.

The earthquake on Tuesday was also felt in Lima and other nearby regions, causing alarm amongst the population.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Peru earthquake damages cemetery, exposes coffins in Ica region

VIDEO SHOWS: COFFINS, DAMAGE, RUBBLE AT CEMETERY AFTER EARTHQUAKE / SOUNDBITE FROM PERUVIAN DEFENSE MINISTER, AMADEO JAVIER FLORES

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: ICA, PERU (MAY 19, 2026) (DUNAS TV ICA - No use Peru / Must on-screen courtesy Dunas TV Ica)

1. VARIOUS OF COFFINS EXPOSED AND PILED ON RUBBLE FROM BROKEN NICHE WALLS AT CEMETERY AFTER 5.9-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CEMETERY GUARD, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"Here right now what we are seeing is the area of the San Benito quarter, more or less some 20 niches have fallen, and at the front too, it has fallen at the front part."

ICA, PERU (MAY 19, 2026) (PANAMERICANA TV - No use Peru / Must on-screen courtesy Panamericana TV)

3. VARIOUS OF COFFINS EXPOSED AND PILED ON RUBBLE FROM BROKEN NICHE WALLS AT CEMETERY

ICA, PERU (MAY 19, 2026) (PERUVIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY - Access all)

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEFENCE MINISTER, AMADEO JAVIER FLORES, SAYING:

"We are very interested in knowing the state of health of the citizens who have been affected, we are very concerned about the lives of our citizens, we know that luckily there are no lives to mourn, but we are still worried about them, that they receive timely care, that they are well, and those who are affected in their homes, in their residences, can also receive from us the support and timely, fast attention."

5. FLORES RECEIVING MILITARY SALUTE BEFORE STARTING INSPECTION