1970 Ancash earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1970 Ancash earthquake or Great Peruvian Earthquake was an undersea earthquake
that occurred on May 31 of that year. Combined with a resultant landslide
, it was the worst catastrophic natural disaster ever recorded in the history of Peru
.
The earthquake affected the Peru
vian regions of Ancash
and La Libertad
. The epicenter
of the earthquake was located 35 km off the coast of Casma
and Chimbote
on the Pacific Ocean
, where the Nazca Plate
is being subducted by the South American Plate
. It had a magnitude of 7.9 to 8.0 on the Richter scale and an intensity of up to VIII on the Mercalli scale. No significant tsunami was reported.
The earthquake struck on a Sunday afternoon at 15:23:31 local time (20:23:31 UTC) and lasted 45 seconds. The quake destabilized the northern wall of Mount Huascarán
, causing a rock, ice and snow avalanche
and burying the towns of Yungay
and Ranrahirca
. The avalanche started as a sliding mass of glacial
ice and rock about 3000 feet (914.4 m) wide and one mile (1.6 km) long. It advanced about 11 miles (17.7 km) to the village of Yungay at an average speed of 280 to 335 km per hour. The fast-moving mass picked up glacial deposits and by the time it reached Yungay, it is estimated to have consisted of about 80 million cubic meters (80,000,000 m³) of water, mud, and rocks.
The earthquake affected an area of about 83,000 km², an area larger than Belgium
and the Netherlands
combined, in the north central coast and the Sierra (highlands) of the Ancash Region
and southern La Libertad Region
. Reports of damage and casualties from Tumbes to Pisco and Iquitos
in the east. Damage and panic scenes were reported in some parts of Ecuador
. Tremors were felt too in western and central Brazil
.
It was a system-wide disaster, impacting such a widespread area that the regional infrastructure of communications, commerce, and transportation was destroyed. Economic losses surpassed half a billion US dollars. Cities, towns, peasant villages as well as the homes, industries, public buildings, schools, electrical, water, sanitary, and communications facilities on them were seriously damaged or destroyed.
Areas hard hit were the coastal towns and cities of Chimbote
(the largest city in Ancash), Casma
, Supe, and Huarmey
; but the Andean
valley known as the Callejón de Huaylas
suffered the most intense and sweeping damage, with the regional capital, Huaraz
, as well as Caraz
and Aija
being partially destroyed. Trujillo
, the nation's third largest city, and Huarmey
suffered minor damages.
In Chimbote, Carhuaz
and Recuay
, about 80% to 90% of buildings were destroyed, affecting about 3 million people.
The Pan-American highway
was also damaged, which made the arrival of humanitarian aid
difficult. The Cañón del Pato hydroelectricity
generator was damaged by the Santa River
and the railway connecting Chimbote with the Santa Valley was left unusable on 60% of its route.
The Peruvian government has forbidden excavation in the area where the town of Yungay
is buried, declaring it a national cemetery. The children who survived in the oca stadium were resettled around the world. In 2000, the tragedy inspired the government to declare May 31 as Natural Disaster Education and Reflection Day.
Every May 31, many schools of Peru practice an earthquake drill in order to commemorate this disaster.
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
that occurred on May 31 of that year. Combined with a resultant landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
, it was the worst catastrophic natural disaster ever recorded in the history of Peru
History of Peru
The history of Peru spans several millennia, extending back through several stages of cultural development in the mountain region and the coastal desert....
.
The earthquake affected the Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian regions of Ancash
Ancash Region
Ancash is a region in northern Peru. It is bordered by the La Libertad region on the north, the Huánuco and Pasco regions on the east, the Lima region on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital is the city of Huaraz, and its largest city and port is Chimbote...
and La Libertad
La Libertad Region
La Libertad is a region in northwestern Peru. Formerly it was known as the 'Department of La Libertad" , a political division that generally corresponds to a state in the United States of America...
. The epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
of the earthquake was located 35 km off the coast of Casma
Casma
Casma is a city in the Ancash Region, Peru. It is located in the Casma Valley. Its surface has 1 204,85 km².Its people venerate saint Santa Maria Magdalena and its day is celebrated on July 22....
and Chimbote
Chimbote
Chimbote is the largest city in the Ancash Region of Peru, and the capital of both Santa Province and Chimbote District.The city is located on the coast in Chimbote Bay, south of Trujillo and north of Lima on the North Pan-American highway. It is the start of a chain of important cities like...
on the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, where the Nazca Plate
Nazca Plate
]The Nazca Plate, named after the Nazca region of southern Peru, is an oceanic tectonic plate in the eastern Pacific Ocean basin off the west coast of South America. The ongoing subduction along the Peru-Chile Trench of the Nazca Plate under the South American Plate is largely responsible for the...
is being subducted by the South American Plate
South American Plate
The South American Plate is a continental tectonic plate which includes the continent of South America and also a sizeable region of the Atlantic Ocean seabed extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge....
. It had a magnitude of 7.9 to 8.0 on the Richter scale and an intensity of up to VIII on the Mercalli scale. No significant tsunami was reported.
The earthquake struck on a Sunday afternoon at 15:23:31 local time (20:23:31 UTC) and lasted 45 seconds. The quake destabilized the northern wall of Mount Huascarán
Huascarán
Huascarán or Nevado Huascarán is a mountain in the Peruvian province of Yungay, situated in the Cordillera Blanca range of the Western Andes. The highest southern summit of Huascarán is the highest point in Peru, and all the Earth's Tropics...
, causing a rock, ice and snow avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
and burying the towns of Yungay
Yungay, Peru
-Location:Yungay is located in the Callejón de Huaylas on Río Santa at an elevation of 2,500 m, 450 km north of Lima, the country's capital. East of the small town are the mountain ridges of snow-covered Cordillera Blanca, with Huascarán, Peru's highest mountain, no more than 15 km east...
and Ranrahirca
Ranrahirca
Ranrahirca was a village in Peru, alongside the river Santa, near Huascarán, the highest mountain in Peru. It was hit by massive avalanches of snow, rocks and mud, originating on the slopes of Huascarán and triggered by earthquakes, on 10 January 1962 and again on 31 May 1970...
. The avalanche started as a sliding mass of glacial
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
ice and rock about 3000 feet (914.4 m) wide and one mile (1.6 km) long. It advanced about 11 miles (17.7 km) to the village of Yungay at an average speed of 280 to 335 km per hour. The fast-moving mass picked up glacial deposits and by the time it reached Yungay, it is estimated to have consisted of about 80 million cubic meters (80,000,000 m³) of water, mud, and rocks.
Casualties and damage
The reported death toll from the earthquake and avalanche totaled 74,194 people, although some estimates place it as high as 80,000. About 25,600 went missing and 143,331 were injured. Over 1,000,000 people were left homeless and other 3,000,000 were affected. In Yungay, 20,000 people died due to the landslide, and only 400 survived. Survivors included people who were at high points of the town, such as the cemetery, as well as 300 children attending a circus at the local stadium.The earthquake affected an area of about 83,000 km², an area larger than Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
combined, in the north central coast and the Sierra (highlands) of the Ancash Region
Ancash Region
Ancash is a region in northern Peru. It is bordered by the La Libertad region on the north, the Huánuco and Pasco regions on the east, the Lima region on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital is the city of Huaraz, and its largest city and port is Chimbote...
and southern La Libertad Region
La Libertad Region
La Libertad is a region in northwestern Peru. Formerly it was known as the 'Department of La Libertad" , a political division that generally corresponds to a state in the United States of America...
. Reports of damage and casualties from Tumbes to Pisco and Iquitos
Iquitos
Iquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest, with a population of 370,962. It is the capital of Loreto Region and Maynas Province.Located on the Amazon River, it is only above sea level, although it is more than from the mouth of the Amazon at Belém on the Atlantic Ocean...
in the east. Damage and panic scenes were reported in some parts of Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. Tremors were felt too in western and central Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
It was a system-wide disaster, impacting such a widespread area that the regional infrastructure of communications, commerce, and transportation was destroyed. Economic losses surpassed half a billion US dollars. Cities, towns, peasant villages as well as the homes, industries, public buildings, schools, electrical, water, sanitary, and communications facilities on them were seriously damaged or destroyed.
Areas hard hit were the coastal towns and cities of Chimbote
Chimbote
Chimbote is the largest city in the Ancash Region of Peru, and the capital of both Santa Province and Chimbote District.The city is located on the coast in Chimbote Bay, south of Trujillo and north of Lima on the North Pan-American highway. It is the start of a chain of important cities like...
(the largest city in Ancash), Casma
Casma
Casma is a city in the Ancash Region, Peru. It is located in the Casma Valley. Its surface has 1 204,85 km².Its people venerate saint Santa Maria Magdalena and its day is celebrated on July 22....
, Supe, and Huarmey
Huarmey
Huarmey is a coastal town in the Ancash Region, Peru. It is one of the five district and also the capital of the Province of Huarmey. It is located crossing the Pan-American highway from south to north after leaving the department of Lima in Paramonga and at 82 km from the Fortaleza river...
; but the Andean
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
valley known as the Callejón de Huaylas
Callejón de Huaylas
The Santa Valley is a inter-andean valley in the Ancash Region in the north-central highlands of Peru. Due to its location between two mountain ranges it is known as Callejón de Huaylas —Alley of Huaylas—, whereas Huaylas refers to the name of the territorial division's name during the Viceroyalty...
suffered the most intense and sweeping damage, with the regional capital, Huaraz
Huaraz
Huaraz is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the Departmento de Ancash and the seat of government of the Provincia de Huaraz . The urban agglomerations population is distributed over the districts of Huaraz and Independencia. It was estimated in 2007 to exceed 120,000...
, as well as Caraz
Caraz
Caraz is a town in the Caraz District in the southeastern part of Huaylas Province of the Ancash Region in Peru.-Political Creation:Recent investigations propose that it's political creation was dated on 12 February 1821, when Grl...
and Aija
Aija, Peru
Aija is a town in central Peru, capital of the province Aija in the region Ancash.The place where the famous scientist Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo was born.-References:...
being partially destroyed. Trujillo
Trujillo, Peru
Trujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The urban area has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru...
, the nation's third largest city, and Huarmey
Huarmey
Huarmey is a coastal town in the Ancash Region, Peru. It is one of the five district and also the capital of the Province of Huarmey. It is located crossing the Pan-American highway from south to north after leaving the department of Lima in Paramonga and at 82 km from the Fortaleza river...
suffered minor damages.
In Chimbote, Carhuaz
Carhuaz
Carhuaz is a city in the Ancash Region, Peru. It is located at 34 km from Huaraz, around , at 2,688 msnm. Its temperature average is from 12 to 14 degrees Celsius...
and Recuay
Recuay
Recuay may refer to:*Recuay, Peru, a small town in the Río Santa valley in northwestern central Peru*Recuay Province, a province in the Ancash Region in northwestern central Peru*Recuay District, a district in the Recuay Province in the Ancash Region...
, about 80% to 90% of buildings were destroyed, affecting about 3 million people.
The Pan-American highway
Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads measuring about in total length. Except for an rainforest break, called the Darién Gap, the road links the mainland nations of the Americas in a connected highway system. According to Guinness World Records, the Pan-American Highway is the world's...
was also damaged, which made the arrival of humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
difficult. The Cañón del Pato hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
generator was damaged by the Santa River
Santa River
The Santa River is a river in the South American Andes cordillera in the Ancash Region of northwest central Peru.-River Course:Laguna Conococha, at an altitude of 4050 m above sea level and at , is considered the headwaters of the Rio Santa. Laguna Conococha itself is fed by small streams from the...
and the railway connecting Chimbote with the Santa Valley was left unusable on 60% of its route.
The Peruvian government has forbidden excavation in the area where the town of Yungay
Yungay, Peru
-Location:Yungay is located in the Callejón de Huaylas on Río Santa at an elevation of 2,500 m, 450 km north of Lima, the country's capital. East of the small town are the mountain ridges of snow-covered Cordillera Blanca, with Huascarán, Peru's highest mountain, no more than 15 km east...
is buried, declaring it a national cemetery. The children who survived in the oca stadium were resettled around the world. In 2000, the tragedy inspired the government to declare May 31 as Natural Disaster Education and Reflection Day.
Every May 31, many schools of Peru practice an earthquake drill in order to commemorate this disaster.