Significant earthquakes of 1570

February 8, 1570 Earthquake: Old Concepcion, Chile

February 8, 1570 · M8.3 · 2,000 deaths

A magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck Old Concepcion, Chile on February 8, 1570 at 13:00 UTC. It killed 2,000 people, counting the tsunami it caused.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date
February 8, 1570
Time
13:00 UTC
Place
Old Concepcion, Chile
Magnitude
8.3 (Ms)
Intensity
11 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Epicenter
36.750° S, 73.000° W
Country
Chile

The toll

Deaths
2,000 with its tsunami and other effects
Damage
Moderate (about $1 to $5 million); Severe (about $5 to $25 million) with its tsunami and other effects
Houses destroyed
Many (101 to 1,000)

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

1570, Feb 8, 09:00 a.m. (Local Time). A severe earthquake struck the coast between 36 deg and 38 deg south. In Concepcion, then situated on the ocean shore in the area of the present city of Penco and consisting of several dozen houses, the majority of structures collapsed. Santiago also suffered damage. The earthquake toppled mountains and blocked rivers which then began to form lakes. The ground developed cracks from which hot water, mud and sulphurous gases issued forth. The tremors continued for five months. (reference #415)

1570, February 8, 05 UTC, 36.75 S, 73.0 W, magnitude 8.3, intensity XI, tsunami generated, casualties. (reference #1206)

1570, February 8, 09:00 (Local time). First Concepcion Earthquake. This earthquake was of greater magnitude than May 21, 1960, M = 7.5 which caused craterlets in the river bed but no major cracking and a very minor tsunami. But possibly the earthquake was not quite as large as May 22, 1960 or February 20, 1835. This leads to an estimated magnitude of 8-8 1/2. (reference #252)

1570, February 8, 09:00, magnitude 8 (reference #12425)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1570The 1500sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 757.