JOIN USAn 8.0-earthquake struck northern Peru in the early hours of Sunday but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
The US Geological Survey said the epicentre was at a depth of 110 kilometres (68 miles). The agency has previously said that most big quakes in South America occur at a maximum depth of 70 kilometres.
The quake hit at 0741 GMT about 75 kilometres southeast of the town of Lagunas, along the Amazon basin near the border with Brazil.
"Some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localized," USGS said in a preliminary assessment.
The Geophysics Institute of Peru said the quake measured 7.2 magnitudes while Peruvian authorities said the tremor caused alarm among locals but no damage was reported.
The earthquake was felt in northern and central Peru, including the capital Lima.
"Based on all available data... there is no tsunami threat because the earthquake is located too deep inside the earth," the US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
In February a quake measuring 7.5 with its epicentre in neighbouring Ecuador rattled the coast and Amazon region of northern Peru.
It left nine people injured and caused damage in Ecuador, but Peru was unscathed.
Peru is located in a seismically active region, and on January 14 last year a quake measuring 7.3 killed two people and toppled buildings near the southern city of Arequipa.