March 31, 1650 Earthquake: Sicasica, Cuzco,collao,lima, Bolivia, Peru
A magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Sicasica, Cuzco,collao,lima, Bolivia, Peru on March 31, 1650 at 19:00 UTC.
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
- March 31, 1650
- Time
- 19:00 UTC
- Place
- Sicasica, Cuzco,collao,lima, Bolivia, Peru
- Magnitude
- 8.1
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 13.500° S, 72.000° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
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.
At 2:00 P.M., March 31, 1650, a strong earthquake, followed by many strong aftershocks for several days, destroyed nearly all of Cusco. The major shock, the strongest recorded for the Cusco region, was felt by people in Lima. (reference #14039)
On 31 March 1650, between 2 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon, there was a great earthquake in the city of Cusco; the quake lasted little more than two credos and devastated the city; in the Andes of Cusco the tremor was so violent that there were great landslides and the rocks cracked (Mendoza, 1665). Silgado (1978) gives intensity VIII for Cusco. (reference #14060)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 17, 1707, Cuzco, Peru
- November 4, 1913, Amyaraes, Abancay, Casaya, Soraya, Peru
- May 21, 1950, Cusco, Peru
- January 31, 1943, Yanacoa, Pampamarca, Peru
- June 24, 1939, Pomacanchi, Peru
- April 5, 1986, Cuzco, Peru
- April 9, 1928, Peru
- September 28, 2014, Paruro Province, Peru
- October 15, 1971, Apurimac, Peru
- August 9, 2001, Antabama, Peru
- April 17, 2024, Quispicanchi, Peru
- 1581, Yanaoca, Peru
- March 24, 1739, Santa Catalina, Peru
- April 13, 1861, Peru
- 1747, Ayapata, Carabaya Province, Peru
More
Significant earthquakes of 1650The 1600sRecent 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 982.