1877 Iquique earthquake facts for kids
| Local date | May 9, 1877 |
|---|---|
| Local time | 21:16 |
| Magnitude | 8.5 Ms, 8.7–8.9 Mw, 9.0 Mt |
| Epicenter | 19°36′S 70°12′W / 19.6°S 70.2°W |
| Areas affected | Peru, Tarapacá Region and Bolivia, Antofagasta Region (both now part of Chile) |
| Tsunami | Yes |
| Casualties | 2,385 |
The 1877 Iquique earthquake was a very strong earthquake that happened on May 9, 1877, at 9:16 PM local time. It had a magnitude of 8.5, which is considered a "great" earthquake. This powerful quake also caused a huge and damaging tsunami. Sadly, 2,385 people died, mostly in Fiji.
Contents
Why Did This Earthquake Happen?
The Earth's surface is made of large pieces called tectonic plates. These plates are always moving, very slowly. The coastal areas of Peru and Chile are located where two of these plates meet. The Nazca Plate is sliding underneath the South American Plate. This process is called subduction.
When these plates rub against each other, a lot of stress builds up. When the stress becomes too much, the plates suddenly slip, causing an earthquake. This area is known for having many very large earthquakes.
What Happened During the Earthquake?
The ground shaking from the earthquake was very strong. It caused a lot of damage along the coasts of what are now the Tarapacá Region and Antofagasta Region in Chile. In one town, the shaking lasted for five minutes!
The Giant Tsunami
The earthquake also created a massive tsunami. A tsunami is a series of huge ocean waves caused by large-scale disturbances, like earthquakes. This tsunami created a wave about 10 meters (33 feet) high. This giant wave hit about 500 kilometers (310 miles) of coastline.
In the city of Arica, the water reached the cathedral. An old U.S. Navy ship, the Wateree, which had been pushed far inland by a tsunami in 1868, was moved several kilometers again by this new tsunami. The tsunami traveled across the entire Pacific Ocean. It was observed in places like Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, Mexico, California, and Japan.
How Many People Were Affected?
The earthquake and tsunami caused 2,385 deaths. Most of these deaths, about 2,000, happened in Fiji. Five people also died in Hilo, Hawaii.
A Dispute After the Disaster
At the time of the earthquake, parts of the affected area were controlled by Bolivia. However, there was a disagreement between Bolivia and Chile about who owned these lands, especially because they had valuable nitrates (a mineral used for fertilizer and explosives).
After the earthquake caused so much damage, the city of Antofagasta (then in Bolivia) decided to add a small tax on nitrates being shipped out. This money was meant to help rebuild the town. However, a large Chilean mining company refused to pay this tax. The Chilean government supported the company. This disagreement eventually led to a war called the War of the Pacific (1879-1884). After the war, Chile gained control of the entire coastline that used to belong to Bolivia.
Could Another Big Earthquake Happen?
Scientists study areas where large earthquakes have happened in the past. The area where the 1877 earthquake occurred is known as a "seismic gap." This means it's a section of the plate boundary where a lot of stress has built up, and a big earthquake is expected because it hasn't happened in a long time.
While there have been other earthquakes in this area, like the 2007 Tocopilla earthquake (magnitude 7.7) and the 2014 Iquique earthquake (magnitude 8.2), scientists believe these events did not fully release all the built-up stress. This means that another very large earthquake, similar to the 1877 event, is still possible in this region in the future.
See also
In Spanish: Terremoto y maremoto de Iquique de 1877 para niños
