1570 Concepción earthquake facts for kids
The 1570 Concepción earthquake was a very powerful earthquake that happened on February 8, 1570, at 9:00 in the morning. It completely destroyed the town of Concepción, which is in Chile. This earthquake was so strong that it also caused a huge tsunami and many smaller earthquakes, called aftershocks, that continued for about five months afterward.
 |
|
| UTC time | 1570-02-08 13:00 |
|---|---|
| Local date | February 8, 1570 |
| Local time | 9:00 am |
| Magnitude | 8.3 Ms |
| Epicenter | 36°45′S 73°00′W / 36.75°S 73.00°W |
| Max. intensity | XI MMI |
| Tsunami | Yes |
| Aftershocks | Yes, for about 5 months |
| Casualties | Est. over 2000 |
Contents
What Happened During the Earthquake?
The earthquake struck at 9:00 AM local time. It had a very high magnitude of 8.3. This number tells us how much energy the earthquake released. An 8.3 magnitude earthquake is considered extremely powerful.
How Strong Was the Shaking?
The shaking intensity was measured as XI on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale. This scale describes how much people feel an earthquake and how much damage it causes. An intensity of XI means the shaking was so strong that it caused almost total destruction. Buildings that were not built to withstand earthquakes would have collapsed. The ground would have cracked, and landslides might have occurred.
The Tsunami's Impact
Because the earthquake happened near the coast, it also caused a large tsunami. A tsunami is a series of giant ocean waves. These waves are usually caused by large movements of the Earth's crust under the sea. After the ground shook, the ocean water was pushed upwards, creating powerful waves that traveled across the sea. When these waves reached the coast, they crashed onto the land, causing even more damage to the town of Concepción.
Aftershocks and Recovery
After the main earthquake, many smaller earthquakes, called aftershocks, continued to shake the area. These aftershocks lasted for about five months. Aftershocks happen because the Earth's crust is still settling down after a major earthquake. They can cause more damage to buildings that were already weakened.
Sadly, this powerful earthquake and the tsunami caused a lot of loss. It is estimated that over 2,000 people were affected. The town of Concepción had to be rebuilt after this terrible natural disaster.
See also
In Spanish: Terremoto de Concepción de 1570 para niños
