·

Strong M7.0 earthquake hits southern Peru

strong-m7-0-earthquake-hits-southern-peru

A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.0 hit southern Peru at 08:50 UTC on March 1, 2019. The agency is reporting a depth of 257.4 km (159.9 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth. This earthquake can have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability. 

The epicenter was located 21.1 km (13.1 miles) WNW of Munani (population 0), 25.9 km (16.1 miles) NNE of Azangaro (population 13 290), 54.5 km (33.9 miles) ENE of Ayaviri (population 19 310) and 73.5 km (45.7 miles) W of La Rinconada (population 29 678), Peru.

There are 790 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles) and 180 000 within 50 km (31 miles).

The USGS issued a green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and reinforced/confined masonry construction.

Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.

Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking

Selected cities exposed

Regional seismicity

Featured image credit: Google, TW/SAM

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

4 Comments

  1. Looks like Cusco is in range for this earthquake… a major population center/ tourist destination with loads of historic architecture, much of it thousands of years old.

  2. Seems like there are some deep quakes going on up here in the north of the South American continent. A 7.5 up in Ecuador Feb 22. Another one in Brazil’s state of Acre a few months ago…..probably nothing….

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *