1997 Punitaqui earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1997 Punitaqui
earthquake occurred at 01:03 UTC on October 15. It had an estimated magnitude
of 7.1. This earthquake was one of the most destructive in the epicentral area compared to other events of subduction
of the same size. The extensive damage to structures was the result of an amplification effect
on the ground and the poor quality of building materials, this reflects the potential for damage incurred in an intraplate earthquake with vertical fault and how it can be much greater than what which can cause one of interplate of similar magnitude, and caused severe damage in Chilean cities of La Serena, Ovalle, Illapel
and Punitaqui
.
and South American
tectonic plates
, at a location where they converge
at a rate of seventy millimeters a year. This quake was an oceanic interplate type, occurred in the going slab and not between two plates, the effect of friction
, referring to the Nazca
and South American Plate
. In particular, this event took place under the area of coupling seismic, besides his epicenter
is located in an area specific to Chile
, ranging between 27º-33º S, where the going slab is placed almost horizontally at 100 km (62 mi). deep and goes nearly 250 km (155 mi). into the mainland under the continental plate, it generates a large coupling of the two plates in contact and absence of volcanism
, among other things.
The October earthquake occurred in the rupture zone caused by the 1943 Ovalle earthquake which had a magnitude of 8.7 MW
, as well as related with other quakes occurred in the same area like the Valparaiso earthquake
of August 1730, of 9.2 MW
and the 1880 Illapel earthquake which registered a magnitude of 8.8 MW
. This entire segment is delimited by the rupture zoans of 1965 and 1971 in Aconcagua
and 1906 in Valparaíso
to the south, while to the north by the 1922 ruptured
in Atacama Region
.
was practically demolished by the quake, which reached an VIII-magnitude seismic Mercalli and a magnitude of 7.9 to 8.1 on the Richter scale. Damage ranged from as far north as the Antofagasta Region
to the southern Araucanía Region
.
In Santiago
, the quake felt undulating because of the distance from the epicenter
. Both Santiago and Valparaíso
regions lost telephone service and radio
transmission. In La Serena, hysteria broke out, and people went into the streets as a precaution. The quake left 8 people dead, 160 injured and 10,913 homeless, concentrating most of those in the provinces of Elqui
and Limarí
.
Punitaqui
Punitaqui is a town and commune of Chile in the Limarí Province.-History:Punitaqui was once part of the Ovalle Department before the administrative restructuring of 1976.-1997 earthquake:...
earthquake occurred at 01:03 UTC on October 15. It had an estimated magnitude
Surface wave magnitude
The surface wave magnitude scale is one of the magnitude scales used in seismology to describe the size of an earthquake. It is based on measurements in Rayleigh surface waves that travel primarily along the uppermost layers of the earth...
of 7.1. This earthquake was one of the most destructive in the epicentral area compared to other events of subduction
Subduction
In geology, subduction is the process that takes place at convergent boundaries by which one tectonic plate moves under another tectonic plate, sinking into the Earth's mantle, as the plates converge. These 3D regions of mantle downwellings are known as "Subduction Zones"...
of the same size. The extensive damage to structures was the result of an amplification effect
Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction describes a phenomenon whereby a saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, usually earthquake shaking or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to behave like a liquid....
on the ground and the poor quality of building materials, this reflects the potential for damage incurred in an intraplate earthquake with vertical fault and how it can be much greater than what which can cause one of interplate of similar magnitude, and caused severe damage in Chilean cities of La Serena, Ovalle, Illapel
Illapel
Illapel is a Chilean city, which is the capital of the Choapa Province, Coquimbo Region. It lies along the Illapel River and marks the country's narrowest point along a parallel .It's located to the east of Los Vilos.-Administration:...
and Punitaqui
Punitaqui
Punitaqui is a town and commune of Chile in the Limarí Province.-History:Punitaqui was once part of the Ovalle Department before the administrative restructuring of 1976.-1997 earthquake:...
.
Tectonic setting
The earthquake took place along the boundary between the NazcaNazca 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...
and South American
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....
tectonic plates
Tectonic Plates
Tectonic Plates is a 1992 independent Canadian film directed by Peter Mettler. Mettler also wrote the screenplay based on the play by Robert Lepage. The film stars Marie Gignac, Céline Bonnier and Robert Lepage.-Plot summary:...
, at a location where they converge
Convergent boundary
In plate tectonics, a convergent boundary, also known as a destructive plate boundary , is an actively deforming region where two tectonic plates or fragments of lithosphere move toward one another and collide...
at a rate of seventy millimeters a year. This quake was an oceanic interplate type, occurred in the going slab and not between two plates, the effect of friction
Friction
Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...
, referring to the Nazca
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...
and 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....
. In particular, this event took place under the area of coupling seismic, besides his 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...
is located in an area specific to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, ranging between 27º-33º S, where the going slab is placed almost horizontally at 100 km (62 mi). deep and goes nearly 250 km (155 mi). into the mainland under the continental plate, it generates a large coupling of the two plates in contact and absence of volcanism
Volcanism
Volcanism is the phenomenon connected with volcanoes and volcanic activity. It includes all phenomena resulting from and causing magma within the crust or mantle of a planet to rise through the crust and form volcanic rocks on the surface....
, among other things.
The October earthquake occurred in the rupture zone caused by the 1943 Ovalle earthquake which had a magnitude of 8.7 MW
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
, as well as related with other quakes occurred in the same area like the Valparaiso earthquake
1730 Valparaiso earthquake
The 1730 Valparaíso earthquake occurred at 08:45 UTC on July 8. It had an estimated magnitude of 8.7 and triggered a major tsunami with an estimated magnitude of Mt=8.75, that inundated the lower parts of Valparaíso...
of August 1730, of 9.2 MW
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
and the 1880 Illapel earthquake which registered a magnitude of 8.8 MW
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
. This entire segment is delimited by the rupture zoans of 1965 and 1971 in Aconcagua
San Felipe de Aconcagua Province
For other uses, see Aconcagua .San Felipe de Aconcagua Province is one of eight provinces of the central Chilean region of Valparaíso . Its capital is the city of San Felipe For other uses, see Aconcagua (disambiguation).San Felipe de Aconcagua Province is one of eight provinces of the central...
and 1906 in Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
to the south, while to the north by the 1922 ruptured
1922 Vallenar earthquake
The 1922 Vallenar earthquake was a magnitude 8.5 earthquake that occurred in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the border with Argentina on November 11, 1922 at 04:32 UTC...
in Atacama Region
Atacama Region
The Atacama Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Chañaral, Copiapó and Huasco. It is bordered to the north by Antofagasta, to the south by Coquimbo, to east with Provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja and San Juan of Argentina, and to west with...
.
Damage
PunitaquiPunitaqui
Punitaqui is a town and commune of Chile in the Limarí Province.-History:Punitaqui was once part of the Ovalle Department before the administrative restructuring of 1976.-1997 earthquake:...
was practically demolished by the quake, which reached an VIII-magnitude seismic Mercalli and a magnitude of 7.9 to 8.1 on the Richter scale. Damage ranged from as far north as the Antofagasta Region
Antofagasta Region
The II Antofagasta Region is one of Chile's fifteen first-order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Antofagasta, El Loa and Tocopilla...
to the southern Araucanía Region
Araucanía Region
The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south....
.
In Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, the quake felt undulating because of the distance from 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...
. Both Santiago and Valparaíso
Valparaíso Region
The V Valparaíso Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's third highest population of 1,539,852 million in 2002 and third smallest area of , the region is Chile's second most densely populated after the Santiago Metropolitan Region...
regions lost telephone service and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
transmission. In La Serena, hysteria broke out, and people went into the streets as a precaution. The quake left 8 people dead, 160 injured and 10,913 homeless, concentrating most of those in the provinces of Elqui
Elqui Province
Elqui Province is a province in the Chilean region of Coquimbo . The provincial capital is the city of Coquimbo. The province has an area of , and has 365,371 inhabitants.-Geography and demography:...
and Limarí
Limarí Province
Limarí Province is one of three provinces of the Chilean region of Coquimbo Region . Its capital is the city of Ovalle-Geography and demography:...
.
See also
- List of earthquakes in Chile
- 1730 Valparaiso earthquake1730 Valparaiso earthquakeThe 1730 Valparaíso earthquake occurred at 08:45 UTC on July 8. It had an estimated magnitude of 8.7 and triggered a major tsunami with an estimated magnitude of Mt=8.75, that inundated the lower parts of Valparaíso...
- 1922 Vallenar earthquake1922 Vallenar earthquakeThe 1922 Vallenar earthquake was a magnitude 8.5 earthquake that occurred in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the border with Argentina on November 11, 1922 at 04:32 UTC...