Earthquakes in Peru
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Earthquakes in Peru are common occurrences as the country is located in a seismic zone. The interface between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates is located near the Peruvian coast. These plates are converging at a rate of 78 mm (3.1 in) per year. Thus, earthquakes occur as thrust faulting on the interface between the two plates, with the South American Plate moving towards the sea over the Nazca Plate. The same process has caused the rise of the Andes mountain range and the creation of the Peru-Chile Trench as well as volcanism in the Peruvian highlands.
Notable earthquakes in Peruvian history include the following:
| Date | Epicentre | M | Notes | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 10, 1946 | Ancash Region |
7.3 | 1,400 | |
| May 31, 1970 | 35 km (22 mi) west of Chimbote |
7.9 | See 1970 Ancash earthquake | 66,000 |
| June 23, 2001 | 175 km (110 miles) south-southeast of Puquio |
8.4 | See 2001 southern Peru earthquake | 138 |
| September 25, 2005 | 100 km (60 mi) northeast of Moyobamba |
7.5 | See 2005 northern Peru earthquake | 5 |
| August 15, 2007 | 150 kilometres (93 mi) south-southeast of Lima |
8.0 | See 2007 Peru earthquake | 519 |
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
- Historic Worldwide Earthquakes. Retrieved on August 21, 2007.
- details on Historic Earthquakes in Peru. Retrieved on August 25, 2007.
