More than 500 people have been killed and 1,500 injured after a powerful earthquake hit the coast of Peru on16-Aug-2007. The quake - measured 7.9 on the Richter scale struck near the capital, Lima.
Peru has a long history of deadly quakes and tsunamis due to its location near a subduction zone, the area where two tectonic plates meet.
The last earthquake of magnitude 8.1 on the Richter scale strike Peru in 23-June 2001, when 75 people were killed and 68 missing around the southern Andean city of Arequipa.
The most deadiest quake from Peru was in 31 May 1970 when 70,000 people were killed in ensuing mudslides in Huaraz in the central Andes. It registered 7.8 on the Richter scale. Damage was estimated at approximately $1 billion, and about 1 million persons were left homeless.
The second deadliest recorded earthquake in Peru struck Lima too in October 1746, almost destroying the city of Lima and Callo. 18,000 death. Callao, a sea-port town, a giant Tsunami hit the port. Callao was swallowed up by the sea and basically vanished.
In between this history, there is a story about a wall painting of Christ by a slave in 1651. The wall painting was not destructed by 2 majors earthquake prior to this 1746 earthquake. Because of this story, in every Oct month, the Peruvian will celebrated the Lord of Miracle.
Ref :
1. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/peru/history.php
joe said,
September 12, 2008 at 4:15 pm
that must of hurt
Laura said,
May 31, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Thank you for the information about earthquakes in Peru.
I used it for my soical studies project.
Thanks again!
elaine said,
September 2, 2009 at 9:38 pm
wow how sad
moath said,
October 25, 2009 at 5:42 pm
thanks man i got this for my geo class and the teacher loved it