THE 10 WORST NATURAL DISASTERS IN PERU (IN HISTORY) - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The worst natural disasters in Peru have occurred from 1746 to 2017, because the territory is in an area of ​​intense seismic activity due to the Nazca plate (oceanic plate), which is submerged under the South American (continental plate).

The constant movement produces friction between the two, which causes frequent earthquakes in the world. Throughout history, Peru has suffered different natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis, which have caused terrible human and material losses.

One of the most devastating earthquakes and tidal waves in history occurred on October 28, 1746 in Lima and in the port of Callao.

More recently, in 2017, the effects of climate change caused by the El Niño Costero phenomenon left 162 dead, 286,000 affected and more than a million affected.

Next we will mention the earthquakes and floods that have caused the 10 worst natural disasters in Peru in all its history:

1- Lima earthquake (1746)

Lima Cathedral 1746

On October 28, 1746, the worst earthquake recorded in Lima and the second in the history of Peru occurred.

The magnitude of the telluric event is believed to be 9.0 (Mw) on the scale of the moment and turned a large part of the houses, churches, hospitals, convents, the cathedral and the government palace in Lima into rubble. Arequipa, Cerro de Pasco and Chachapoyas were also seriously affected.

A second earthquake caused a tidal wave in the port of Callao, which disappeared under the forces of the sea, which wiped out everything in its path. Only 200 people were able to save themselves from the 5,000 that inhabited the place.

After that terrible tragedy, the earth continued to move and there were a total of 568 aftershocks. Additionally, with the passing of the days, epidemics also came due to the decomposition of corpses.

2- Arica earthquake (1868)

Arica (1868)

Arica was the epicenter of the first largest earthquake in Peru; currently the area belongs to Chile. The movement arose on August 13, 1868 with a magnitude of 9.0 (Mw), it shook a large part of southern Peruvian territory and it is estimated that at least 693 people died.

After the first movement, a tsunami with waves of 18 meters in height originated, which devastated 85% of the city of Arica, leaving 300 people dead. The intensity of the earthquake reached the coasts of Japan, Australia and New Zealand, among others.

Arequipa was one of the most affected areas, all the buildings suffered severe damage and the tsunami, produced on its coasts, caused deaths and material losses. After the earthquake, the population sank into despair and looting occurred due to the shortage of food and drinking water.

3- Cusco earthquake (1950)

Cuzco today

Cusco, one of the cities in the south eastern part of Peru, was submerged in a cloud of smoke on May 21, 1650 when the earth shook it with a voracious earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, which would later transform it into a mountain of rubble.

Destruction had taken over the place, some land routes suffered the onslaught of nature, temples, convents and houses collapsed and left about 5,000 people dead.

The residents who were left homeless took refuge in the Plaza de Armas and another group moved to neighboring cities.

4- Barrage of the snowy Huascarán (1962)

Image source:

The Huascarán mountain is the highest point in Peru, which rises to 6746 m and is located within the Yungay province of the department of Ancash.

Its breathtaking beauty has not escaped the terror of nature's fury. On January 10, 1962, in the snowy Huascarán, the edge of a glacier that weighed approximately 6 million tons broke and caused an avalanche that wiped out nine cities, seven towns and killed about 4,000 people.

Some inhabitants managed to take refuge and survive; However, the towns of Ranrahirca, Shacsha, Huarascucho, Yanama Chico, Matacoto, Chuquibamba, Caya, Encayor, Armapampa and Uchucoto disappeared under the mass of ice, rocks and earth.

5- Earthquake of the Callejón de Huaylas (1970)

Yungay Viejo, 1970, place of the avalanche

It is considered the worst natural disaster of the 20th century. On May 31, 1970, there was an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale with a duration of 45 seconds, in which 80 thousand people lost their lives.

Death and destruction were present in the northern provinces of Lima and the department of Áncash was the one that suffered the most damage.

Due to the earthquake, a 30-ton alluvium was produced at the peak of the snowy Huascarán, which crushed the Yungay and Ranrahirca areas. The huge ball of earth, stone and ice also caused destruction in the Callejón de Huaylas.

The fury of nature shook a large area of ​​Peruvian territory causing deaths, mountains of debris and a great flood that caused human and material losses in the departments of Ancash, Lima, La Libertad and Lambayeque.

6- Alto Mayo earthquake (1990)

An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale occurred on May 29, 1990 in the town of Alto Mayo, which was greatly affected since 58% of the population lived in urban dwellings.

The cities of Amazonas, San Martín, Rioja, Cajamarca, Chachapoyas, Moyobamba, Bagua and Jaén suffered damage from the earthquake.

The result of the catastrophic event caused 77 deaths, 1,680 wounded, 58,835 people affected and 11,000 homes destroyed.

7- El Niño phenomenon (1997-1998)

The Child, 1997

From December 1997 to April 1998, the El Niño climate phenomenon left 336 people dead and 549 victims in Peru. In addition, 73,000 hectares of crops were lost, 59 bridges and 884 kilometers of roads were destroyed.

Despite the prevention plans planned by the government six months earlier, the country was affected by torrential rains that affected the coastal region with floods, overflowing rivers, destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, roads, crops and the isolation of rural communities.

The most affected populations were Piura, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Tumbes, Ica and Loreto.

In Tumbes, one of the most affected populations, in addition to the complications caused by the rains, diseases such as cholera, malaria, dengue, respiratory infections and diarrhea, among others, were generated.

In Lambayeque, the Pan-American highway from the north disappeared at km 822 due to the fierce passage of the La Leche river.

8- Earthquake in Ica (2007)

Ica earthquake, 2007

On August 15, 2007, southern Peru was shaken by an earthquake that reached a magnitude of 7.9 (Mw). It caused the death of 595 people, at least 2,291 injured, 434,000 people affected in the city of Ica and 221,000 people affected in the city of Pisco.

The Ica earthquake is considered the worst in recent history, which left several sectors of the country without water, electricity, telephone and Internet services. Likewise, it destroyed stretches of land routes such as the Panamericana Sur.

9- Floods in Cusco (2010)

The city of Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire and is widely visited for its archaeological attractions.

There its visitors delight in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the Plaza de Armas of Cusco, the Archaeological Complex of Sacsayhuamán, Machu Picchu, among others. Like the rest of the country, it has been affected by natural disasters.

In January 2010 it suffered one of the worst rains in the last 15 years, which caused major floods that killed 20 people, an estimated more than 1,300 people affected and 12,167 affected.

The floods interrupted roads and train tracks, affected 2,000 homes and approximately 2,000 tourists had to be evacuated from the sector.

The torrential rains left parts of the city of Cuzco without electricity and wiped out 9,000 tracts of agricultural land.

10- The Coastal Child (2017)

El Niño Costero developed only on the coasts of Ecuador and Peru. The phenomenon caused destruction by persistent rains in 850 districts of the 1850 that make up the Peruvian territory.

From February 3 to March 31, 2017, the El Niño Costero phenomenon severely hit northern Peru with heavy rains that triggered heavy alluvium, floods and overflows in rivers. Southern Peru also suffered the ravages of nature.

Heavy uncontrollable rainfall spread throughout the Peruvian coastline. Among the most affected areas are Tumbes, Piura, Lambaye, La Libertad, Áncash, Trujillo and Huarmey. The province of Lima also suffered from the overflowing of rivers.

In total, the government of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski declared a state of emergency in 34 districts of Lima. Figures for the tragedy indicate that 162 people were killed, 286,000 affected, and a total of 1,500,000 affected.

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