Peru Under Siege from Earthquake, Heavy Rain and Mudslides, 3 Killed
Strong quake measuring up to magnitude 6.1 struck inside the Peruvian Amazon rain forest 20 km (10 miles) SSE of Pucallpa, Peru at a depth of about 153 km, on Monday, January 25, 2010 at 22:53 UTC.
As of posting, there were no reports of damage or casualties, however, The tremors were felt in Trujillo, Chimbote, Cerro de Pasco, Huánuco, Lima (capital), Pucallpa, San Ramón. The quake was felt also in Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil, a report said.
Heavy Rain and Mudslides
The overflowing Vilcanota and Rio Blanco rivers in the Andean province of Cusco, southeastern Peru, have flooded hundreds of hectares (acres) of corn crop, AFP reported.
Heavy rains have buffeted the region in the past three days, flooding rivers and causing mudslides that killed at least two people and damaged stone walls at Inca sites, associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, heavy rain and mudslides blocked the train route to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, stranding about 2,000 tourists, the tourism ministry said.
“Rail is the only means of transportation on the last leg of the trip to Machu Picchu from the ancient Inca capital of Cusco.”AP said.
Elsewhere in the region, the overflowing Yanama river has pinned down trucks and long-distance passenger coaches at the Cusco-Abancay highway. The flooding has damaged or destroyed about 50 homes and also destroyed crops, officials said.
A magnitude 7.9 quake and resulting landslides in Northern Peru killed an estimated 70,000 people and injured up to 150,000 others, leaving half a million homeless.
Earthquake Location map. Source: USGS/EHP. Enhanced by FEWW.
Peru Earthquake Details:
- Magnitude reported by USGS: 5.8 [EQ magnitude estimated by FEWW: 6.1 Mw]
- Date-Time:
- Monday, January 25, 2010 at 22:52:47 UTC
- Monday, January 25, 2010 at 05:52:47 PM at epicenter
- Location: 8.546°S, 74.467°W
- Depth: 153.4 km (95.3 miles)
- Region: CENTRAL PERU
- Distances:
- 20 km (10 miles) SSE of Pucallpa, Peru
- 230 km (140 miles) WSW of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil
- 240 km (150 miles) NE of Huanuco, Peru
- 485 km (300 miles) NE of LIMA, Peru
- Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 7.2 km (4.5 miles); depth +/- 4.3 km (2.7 miles)
- Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
- Event ID: us2010rxcf
Seismic Hazard Map
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green. Source: USGS/EHP.
Historic Seismicity [Mag 7 or greater since 1900]
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green. Source: USGS/EHP.
Political Map of Peru.
Earthquake Location
Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP. Click image to enlarge.
Related Links:
Fire Earth 