July 10, 1586 Earthquake: Lima, Peru

1586 July 9 19:00 [local]. There was a severe earthquake in Peru which affected an area along the coast for 1000km and 120km inland. Lima, for the most part, was destroyed, the towers of the cathedral collapsed. Several strong shocks were recorded. Frightened by the ominous rumbles which preceded the shocks, the inhabitants ran from their houses. But not everyone got out in time, for 14 to 22 persons perished under the wreckage of the houses. Callao, Chancau, Ica, and possibly Cusco and Trujillo were substantially damaged. In Callao, the sea level fell by 14m after the earthquake and then rose 24m, inundating the land for a distance of 250m, destroying everything in its path and washing the dikes away. (ref #415) 9 July 19:00. Earthquake which razed much of the city of Lima and knocked down the towers of the Cathedral; only between 14-22 persons died, as the destruction was preceded by a loud noise which warned the population to get out into the streets, plazas, and gardens. Slides of large rocks and stones from the San Cristobal hill and others situated in the high part of the valley. Fissures formed in the ground. In El Callao the sea rose two fathoms and advanced about three hundred paces, inundating part of the town and destroying everything in its path. The seismic movement extended some 1000km along the coast, from Trujillo to Caraveli, and some 120km inland, according to the report of the Viceroy Don Fernando Torres y Portugal, Count of Villar. It was destructive in the village of Valverde. It was felt in Huanuco and Cuzco. The Viceroy wrote to his majesty: "Wednesday July 9th, eighth day of the visitation of Our Lady of this year 1586, dawned very clear and was quiet until nearly night, which was much disturbed when it became very dark, and between 7-8 o'clock the ground slowly began to tremble in this city of Lima and the port of El Callao; it was thus for the time it took to recite one Credo, and after three others or a little more, and according to the Spanish and natives it was greater than those of the years 1555, 1581, and 1584 which they say were the greatest that had been seen up to that time, altogether they did not do as much damage as this one, and in its effects it seemed that, although those [shocks] damaged many houses of this city and harbor, they toppled few, whereas in this one there was no church, monastery, hospital, or house that was not left partly or wholly collapsed or ruined and the Royal Houses of Your Majesty in this city and in El callao were particularly affected by earthquake, because the House in El Callao, which had already been damaged due to the shock of '84, was now completely demolished.(ref #1111)

Reports of Epicenters, Magnitudes and Effects

DateLatLongDepth (km)MagnitudeIntensityReference #July 10, 1586 00:30 UTC12.3S77.7W607.7101208July 10, 1586 00:30 UTC12.1S77.0W408.691221July 10, 1586 00:30 UTC12S77W8.5150July 9, 158612.2S77.7W8.5552July 9, 1586 (19:00 Local Time)12S77W8.5415July 9, 15868.111967