July 9, 1587 Earthquake: Piura, Peru
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Piura, Peru on July 9, 1587. It caused a tsunami.
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
- July 9, 1587
- Place
- Piura, Peru
- Magnitude
- 6.2 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 5.300° S, 80.500° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with its tsunami and other effects
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.
July 9, 1587 at nightfall, there was an earthquake in Piura [5.2 S, 80.63 W], which extended some 950 kilometers along the coast. The sea left its bed, generating a giant wave which is believed to have destroyed the village of Sechura [5.55 S, 80.82 W], which was relocated on the site it now occupies. (reference #1111)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 1587The 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 787.