Reviewed by USGSPeru13y ago
M7.1 earthquake 16 km WSW of Atiquipa, Peru
Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 16:42:43 UTC · 15.838°S, 74.511°W
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck 16 km WSW of Atiquipa, Peru on Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 16:42:43 UTC, at a depth of 40.0 km (shallow). USGS received 89 “Did You Feel It?” reports, with a maximum reported intensity of VIII (severe). The USGS PAGER alert is green: low likelihood of casualties and damage. It is the strongest earthquake within 300 km since an M8.4 on June 23, 2001.
Tsunami flagUSGS sets this flag for large events in oceanic regions so tsunami warning centers review them. It does not by itself mean a tsunami occurred. Check tsunami.gov and local authorities for official messages.
- Magnitude
- 7.1
- Major · mww
- Depth
- 40 km
- Shallow
- Felt reports
- 89
- Max intensity VIII
- Est. shaking
- VII
- Very strong (ShakeMap)
- PAGER alert
- Green
- Impact estimate
- Tsunami
- Flag
- Check tsunami.gov
Outlined circle: this earthquakeDashed circle: 200 km aftershock search areaColoured lines: estimated shaking intensity (USGS ShakeMap)
In context
How big was it, and why here?
Energy released
674 kilotons of TNT
That is about 45 times the Hiroshima bomb. It released about 1,413 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0.
Tectonic setting
93 km
from the nearest mapped plate boundary, between the Nazca and Altiplano plates. Earthquakes cluster along boundaries like this one, where plates collide, pull apart or slide past each other.
Depth: shallow
40 km
Shallow earthquakes (under 70 km) produce the strongest surface shaking for their size, so they are the ones most likely to cause damage near the epicenter.
Did You Feel It?
Where it was felt
Reports sent by people to USGS, grouped by place (most reports first). Intensity uses the Modified Mercalli scale (I–X): what people felt, not the magnitude.
| Place | Intensity | Reports | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis, Lima Provincias, Peru | III · Weak | 42 | 496 km |
| Lima, Lima Provincias, Peru | III · Weak | 20 | 500 km |
| Acarí, Arequipa, Peru | VIII · Severe | 6 | 61 km |
| Arequipa, Arequipa, Peru | IV · Light | 5 | 327 km |
| Santa María, Lima Provincias, Peru | III · Weak | 4 | 498 km |
| Santiago, Ica, Peru | VI · Strong | 1 | 228 km |
| Arica, Tarapacá, Chile | IV · Light | 1 | 537 km |
| San Vicente de Cañete, Lima Provincias, Peru | IV · Light | 1 | 368 km |
| Pisco, Ica, Peru | III · Weak | 1 | 301 km |
| Los Aquijes, Ica, Peru | III · Weak | 1 | 232 km |
| Nuevo Imperial, Lima Provincias, Peru | III · Weak | 1 | 364 km |
| Iquique, Tarapacá, Chile | III · Weak | 1 | 672 km |
USGS PAGER estimate
Who was exposed to shaking
USGS publishes PAGER impact estimates for significant earthquakes, usually within an hour. No populated area was estimated to feel noticeable shaking.
After the main event
Aftershocks within 200 km
USGS lists 5 M2.5+ earthquakes within 200 km in the following 30 days; the largest was M4.6 on September 26, 2013. Most nearby activity right after a large earthquake is aftershocks, which usually become less frequent over days and weeks.
- 3.988 km WSW of Changuillo, Peru13y ago · 185 km NW of this epicenter
- 4.377 km WSW of Changuillo, Peru13y ago · 178 km NW of this epicenter
- 4.416 km WSW of Cotaruse, Peru13y ago · 196 km NE of this epicenter
- 4.118 km NNE of Río Grande, Peru13y ago · 179 km NW of this epicenter
- 4.645 km SW of Atiquipa, Peru13y ago · 33 km SW of this epicenter
Regional history
Past M5+ earthquakes within 300 km
USGS lists 436 M5.0+ earthquakes within 300 km before this one (catalog from 1900; older records are less complete). The strongest:
- 8.46 km SSW of Atico, PeruJune 23, 2001 · 104 km SE of this epicenter
- 8.121 km NNE of Minas de Marcona, PeruAugust 24, 1942 · 104 km NW of this epicenter
- 7.737 km SSW of Atico, PeruAugust 6, 1913 · 113 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.760 km SW of Changuillo, PeruNovember 12, 1996 · 156 km NW of this epicenter
- 7.235 km N of El Cardo, PeruOctober 11, 1922 · 199 km E of this epicenter
- 7.121 km SSE of Nazca, PeruJanuary 15, 1960 · 100 km N of this epicenter
- 7.130 km SW of Islay (Matarani), PeruApril 12, 1988 · 279 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.021 km SW of Santa Rita de Siguas, PeruJanuary 15, 1958 · 258 km E of this epicenter
History · NOAA
Deadliest earthquakes in this area
NOAA’s significant-earthquake database lists 39 damaging, deadly or tsunami-generating earthquakes within 300 km of this epicenter since 1700, which together caused about 1,065 recorded deaths. The most severe:
- 1784M8.0
Arequipa,Camana,Moquegua,Tambo
13 May 1784 · 278 km away · intensity X
383 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)tsunami
- 1821
Camana, Ocona, Caraveli
10 Jul 1821 · 168 km away · intensity VIII
162 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
- 1913M6.3
Amyaraes, Abancay, Casaya, Soraya
4 Nov 1913 · 251 km away · intensity X
150 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
- 2001M8.4
Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Ayacucho
23 Jun 2001 · 104 km away · intensity VIII
103 deaths$200 million damagetsunami
- 1960M7.8
Arequipa,Chuquibamba,Caraveli,Cotahuasi
13 Jan 1960 · 189 km away · intensity X
63 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)tsunami
- 1914
Pararca,Paysa,Colta,Oyala
2 Dec 1914 · 157 km away · intensity X
34 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
NOAA NCEI Global Significant Earthquake Database. Historical figures are estimates; older records are incomplete.