There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the 5.1 magnitude quake, which struck at 3:10 p.m. local time.
The U.S. Geological Survey determined the epicenter was about 80 miles southeast of Arequipa in a region of copper mining.
A landslide along the slopes of nearby Misti volcano sent a cloud of dust over Arequipa.
Seismologists said that the impact from the sharp quake was limited by its depth of nearly 20 miles (30 km).
Southern Peru is prone to strong earthquakes due to the collision of the Nazca and South America tectonic plates.
A 7.9 magnitude temblor in June 2001 killed 47 people and caused dozens of homes, churches and other buildings to tumble into piles of rubble.
Twenty-one of the fatalities occurred in Arequipa. It was the most powerful quake to strike the region for more than a hundred years.