Lima, May 27 (IANS): A massive earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale jolted Peru's Puno region, with no report of casualties or material damages, authorities reported.

The Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP) said the quake was registered at 7.02 a.m. on Thursday, with its epicentre 20 km northeast of the town of Ayaviri in Melgar province and a depth of 240 km, reports Xinhua news agency.

The quake was felt strongly in the districts of Ayaviri, Asillo and Azangaro in Melgar province, and moderately in Orurillo, Pucara, Tirapita and San Jose, the National Emergency Operations Centre said.

IGP President Hernando Tavera said that in spite of the quake's magnitude, "we have no information of damages", although it alarmed the population in a region that borders Bolivia.

Meanwhile, the Peruvian Presidency has called on the population to remain calm in the face of possible aftershocks on its Twitter account, as the government is coordinating the evaluation of possible casualties or material damage.

Peru is located in the area called the Pacific Ring of Fire, where about 85 percent of the world's seismic activity is recorded.