A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of southern Peru on Sunday but there was no immediate threat of tsunami, government scientists said.

The Geophysical Institute of Peru said the quake was centered in the Pacific at a depth of 25 kilometers (16 miles) off the coast of Arequipa department.

The government decided against activating the tsunami warning system.

The US Geological Survey put the magnitude 6.0 and said the epicenter of the quake was 19.9 kilometers deep.

Peru lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast area of seismic activity that runs along the west coast of South America.

Peru is hit by at least 400 detectable quakes every year.