The Chilean city of Calama was the epicenter of a 4.0 magnitude earthquake which was recorded at 4:31 p.m. (local time) this Saturday, June 15.
The tremor was recorded 8.0 kilometers from the town and had a depth of 81.0 kilometers, according to preliminary information from the National Seismological Center (CSN).
The CNS also specified that the coordinates of the epicenter of the earthquake were recorded at -22,504 degrees latitude and -68,862 degrees longitude.
Remember that in the event of any tremor, information only follows from official sourcesavoid falling into rumors or fake news.
After an earthquake, check your house for possible damage, use your cell phone only in case of emergency, avoid saturating telephone lines, do not light matches or candles until you are sure that there is no gas leak. It is important to mention that after a major earthquake, aftershocks may occur, so it is important to be alert.
An earthquake can occur at any time, so it is important to be prepared with the following measures: prepare a civil protection plan, organize evacuation drills, find safety zones at home, school or workplace and prepare a backpack of emergency.
During an earthquake, stay calm and find a safe place, stay away from objects that could fall, do not use elevators, or stay in a stairwell or door frame.
If you are in a car, park and stand away from buildings, trees and poles; If you are on the coast, leave the beach and take refuge in high areas, given the possibility of a tsunami; And if you are in a wheelchair and cannot move to a safe place, brake the wheels and protect your head and neck with your arms.
Since 1570, About a hundred earthquakes of great force have occurred in Chile, of which almost thirty were of magnitude greater than 8.
According to the Department of Emergency and Disaster Risk Management, on average, an earthquake above magnitude 8 occurs every 10 years. These are some of the strongest earthquakes recorded in the history of Chile.
The strongest earthquake in history
On the afternoon of May 22, 1960, the strongest earthquake on record occurred, with magnitude 9.5, with the city of Traiguén, in the province of Malleco, as its epicenter. However, it is known as the “Valdivia earthquake” because it was where there was the most damage.
The earthquake also caused a tsunami with waves up to 10 meters high that devastated much of the south of the country. The tsunami was felt beyond Chile, reaching Asia, in Japan, for example, it was hit with waves six meters high, leaving several dead and significant damage in its wake.
The official death toll is not precise, it is only known that there were more than 2 thousand victims.
The last great earthquake
The last major earthquake that hit Chile was the one known as “27F” which occurred on February 27, 2010, the second strongest earthquake in its history.
With a magnitude of 8.8, the seismic activity had its epicenter on the coasts of the Maule region and surprised the population during the early hours of the morning.
As in 1960, less than an hour after the earthquake, a tsunami hit the country, mainly in the regions of Maule and Biobío. Outside of Chile, the tsunami reached Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica, without major damage.
More than 500 people died as a result of the earthquake and around fifty people were missing.
The deadliest earthquake
On the night of January 24, 1939, it occurred the deadliest earthquake in the history of Chile. An 8.3 magnitude earthquake shook from Valparaíso and even Temuco, however, it was in Concepción and Chillán where there was the most damage.
This telluric movement was called the Chillán earthquake because it was right there where it left the most destruction in its wake, just saying that More than half of its buildings collapsed.
As a result of the earthquake, electricity, telephone and telegraph services were interrupted, there was no transportation, the railway station was left in the ground and the disaster caused a lack of food and water.
The Chillán earthquake of 1939 is the tremor that has claimed the most fatalities in Chile. The official death toll was 24,000, but some estimate that it was close to 30,000, although only 5,685 were identified.
Other earthquakes
In addition to the tremors mentioned, there have been other important ones in the history of Chile.
For example, two other telluric movements with magnitude greater than 8.5 have been recorded, however, these have occurred more than 100 years ago -not counting the earthquakes already mentioned-, according to CSN records.
In the early morning of July 8, 1730, an earthquake of magnitude 8.7 was felt in Valparaíso that left around 3,000 victims. Another earthquake, this time of 8.8 magnitude, was felt in Arica on the night of September 16, 1615, which surprisingly left no deaths.
On the other hand, there are two more tremors that left more than 2 thousand deaths: on the night of May 9, 1877, in Iquique, an earthquake of magnitude 8.5 was recorded; and that of the morning of February 8, 1570, which had a magnitude of 8.3.
