4.6mb
Peru · UTC
Peru earthquakes: the largest since 1900
The historical catalogue includes USGS M6+ from 1900, M4.5+ from 1970 and delivered events since the project began. It is not a complete record of all small earthquakes.
- Largest magnitude
- M 8.42001 · Atico
- Deepest
- 621 km2015 · Ucayali
- Most recent
- M 6.72026 · Tambo
- Magnitude 8 or larger
- 61900–2026
Timeline
Each dot is one earthquake in this selection; its height shows the magnitude. Select a dot to jump to its entry.
The earthquakes one by one
A selection of strong or high-impact earthquakes. Values are from the USGS catalogue; national agencies may publish a different magnitude or location. Mw, Ms and mb are different scales and not directly comparable.
- 8.2Mw
Huacho (Lima)
- Depth 45 km · Shallow
One of the great 20th-century earthquakes on the central coast, centred near Huacho and strongly felt in Lima and Callao.
Open record - 8.1Mw
- 8.1Mw
- 7.9Mw
Chimbote (Áncash)
- Depth 58 km · Shallow
- Offshore epicentre
Peru's deadliest natural disaster. The shaking broke loose part of Huascarán mountain, and the resulting avalanche buried the town of Yungay.
Open record - 7.6Ms
- 7.7Mwc
- 8.4Mww
Atico (Arequipa)
- Depth 33 km · Shallow
The largest earthquake in Peru in the USGS instrumental catalogue. It struck the south of the country, and a tsunami reached the coast at Camaná.
Open record - 7.5Mwb
- 8Mwc
Pisco (Ica)
- Depth 39 km · Shallow
- Offshore epicentre
The Pisco earthquake caused severe damage in Pisco, Ica and Chincha, where many adobe homes collapsed.
Open record - 7.6Mww
Ucayali
- Depth 621 km · Deep
One of two magnitude 7.6 earthquakes more than 600 km deep that struck minutes apart beneath Ucayali, a rare deep-focus doublet.
Open record - 8Mww
Loreto
- Depth 123 km · Intermediate depth
A great intermediate-depth earthquake beneath Loreto. It was felt across northern Peru and neighbouring countries but caused less damage than a shallow quake of similar size.
Open record - 7.5Mww
- 7.2Mww
Atiquipa (Arequipa)
- Depth 24 km · Shallow
- Offshore epicentre
An offshore earthquake on the same Arequipa subduction segment that ruptured in 2001.
Open record - 6.7Mww
Why Peru has so many earthquakes
Off the coast, the Nazca Plate dives beneath South America. This subduction zone produces the great coastal earthquakes from Tumbes to Tacna and can cause tsunamis. Off Nasca, the Nazca Ridge, an undersea mountain chain, enters the trench and affects how the segments break.
The sinking slab continues beneath the Andes and the Amazon. That is why Peru has intermediate-depth earthquakes under Loreto and very deep ones, below 600 km, under Ucayali and Madre de Dios.
For travellers to Lima, Cusco and Arequipa
Lima, Ica and Arequipa lie close to the subduction zone, while Cusco sits on crustal faults in the high Andes. Earthquakes can be felt anywhere in the country. If you feel shaking, protect yourself first and then follow instructions from local authorities and tsunami signs on the coast.
Times on this page are in UTC; Peru uses UTC−5 all year. Official reports, including small earthquakes, come from the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP).
Frequently asked questions
What was the largest earthquake in Peru?
In the USGS catalogue, the magnitude 8.4 Arequipa earthquake of 23 June 2001. Next come Lima 1940 (8.2) and the 1942 and 1966 earthquakes (8.1).
What was the deadliest earthquake in Peru?
The Ancash earthquake of 31 May 1970. The shaking and the Huascarán avalanche that buried Yungay made it the worst natural disaster in Peru's history.
Does Peru get tsunamis?
Yes. Large subduction earthquakes, such as Arequipa 2001, have sent tsunamis onto the Peruvian coast, and the 1746 earthquake devastated Callao.
Known events in this window: 48 · 2026
- 4.6mb
- 4.5mb
- 4.7mb
- 4.1mb
- 5.3mww
- 4.2mb
- 5.2mww
- 4.3mb
- 5.6mww
- 4.7mb
- 5.5mww
- 5.4mww
- 4.7mb
- 4.9mb
- 4.8mb
- 4.7mb
- 4.7mb
- 5.1mww
- 4.6mb
- 5.2mww
- 4.8mb
- 5.8mww
- 4.9mb
- 4.8mb
- 4.7mb
- 4.5mb
- 4.6mb
- 4.8mb
- 4.6mb
- 4.5mb
- 6mww
- 4.5mb
- 4.6mb
- 4.6mb
- 4.9mww
- 4.6mb
- 4.8mb
- 4.6mb
- 4.6mb
- 4.9mb
- 5mb
- 4.7mb
- 4.9mww
- 4.6mb
- 4.6mb
- 4.6mb
- 5.5mww
Catalogue coverage
The historical catalogue includes USGS M6+ from 1900, M4.5+ from 1970 and delivered events since the project began. It is not a complete record of all small earthquakes.
— UTC
TimelineContinue exploring
How to look up a historical earthquake
Start with a year and narrow it down by month if you know the approximate date. Check origin time and epicentre to distinguish earthquakes in the same sequence. Older records capture mainly larger events. An increase in entries across decades can reflect better detection as well as changes in seismic activity.