1819 Copiapó earthquake
Local date | 11 April 1819 |
---|---|
Local time | 15:00 |
Magnitude | 8.5 Mw |
Epicenter | 27°00′S 71°30′W / 27.0°S 71.5°W |
Areas affected | Copiapó Province, Chile |
Tsunami | Yes |
Casualties | Unknown |
During April 1819, the area around Copiapó in northern Chile was struck by a sequence of earthquakes over a period of several days. The largest of these earthquakes occurred on 11 April at about 15:00 local time, with an estimated magnitude of Mw 8.5. The other two events, on 3 April between 08:00 and 09:00 local time and on 4 April at 16:00 local time, are interpreted as foreshocks to the mainshock on 11 April. The mainshock triggered a tsunami that affected 800 km of coastline and was also recorded at Hawaii. The city of Copiapó was devastated.[1]
Tectonic setting
Northern Chile lies above the
Earthquake sequence
The magnitudes of the two foreshocks is not known. The magnitude of the mainshock has been estimated to be Mw 8.5.[3] The earthquake sequence is thought to have ruptured the same part of the plate boundary as that ruptured by the 1922 Vallenar earthquake.[4]
Tsunami
The tsunami triggered by the 11 April mainshock affected at least 800 km of the Chilean coastline, with a maximum run-up height of 4 m and a maximum inundation of 600 m. Places affected included
Impact
The earthquake sequence caused major damage in both Copiapó and Vallenar.[4] The 3 April foreshock led to widespread damage in Copiapó. The 4 April foreshock caused the collapse of several buildings in the city including a church, killing "many people".[6] The effects of the mainshock on 11 April and its associated tsunami, combined with those of the foreshocks was the complete destruction of Copiapó and Caldera.
See also
References
- doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K.
- doi:10.1785/0120080192. Archived from the original(PDF) on 24 July 2011.
- ^ S2CID 182657772.
- ^ .
- doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K.
- doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K.