1651 Earthquake: Peru-Chile

1651. Peru and Chile, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)

1651, tsunami event validity possible. A tsunami was observed in Miyagi Prefecture on the coast of Watari district, south of Iwanuma, about which oral legends have survived. A report on a Chilean tsunami (Anon., 1961), considers that the tsunami came from a remote origin, presumably from a South American earthquake. Imamura considers this case to be waves of storm origin (Imamura, 1949; Musya, 1951; Anon., 1961; Iida et a1., 1967). [There are no references to a tsunami in South America in 1651 in the earthquake catalogues of Chile, Peru or other countries.] (Reference #414).

1651. Source Peru (?), Chile (?), tsunami observation Miyagi, Watari. By oral tradition a tsunami occurred. Japan Meteorological Agency considers this a distant tsunami and attributes it to South American origin, although Imamura considers it a possible storm surge. Milne lists a large Peru-Chile quake in this year but does not mention waves. (reference #79)