April 12, 1819 Earthquake: Copiapo, Chile

1819, April 11. A severe earthquake and tsunami occurred in the area of Copiapo (Chile).

On April 11, 1819, at 23:00 [local time] (27 S, 71.5 W, magnitude 8), an exceptionally severe earthquake, which was preceded by a frightening rumbling sound, completely destroyed the city. Strong vibrations lasted about 7 minutes. Only a few houses, mainly wooden houses, survived the shocks, but even they were badly damaged. Even walls of 1 m thickness, supported by solid buttresses, collapsed. Many cracks appeared in the ground, and displacements were recorded along some of them. The suburb of Chimba, which was about 3 km from the center of the city, sustained little damage. The area experienced repeated shocks during the following six months. The earthquake of April 11 caused minor damage to Vallenar.

The area in which the earthquake of April 11 had originated, gave rise to a tsunami which was recorded over a distance of 800 km, including in Huasco. At first the ocean receded a little, but it quickly swept back over the land, penetrating in places up to 600 m beyond the high water line. Caldera sustained considerable damage. After the tsunami, the inhabitants went to the shore to dig for copper ingots which had been washed away by the waves.

At Concepcion, the rising waves advanced up the River Bio-Bio; on the 12th at 02:00 the anchorlines of the schooner "La Fortuna" were broken by the ebb and flow currents and the schooner ended up being grounded on rocks.

On the western shore of the island of Hawaii, nine oscillations of the sea level were noted, starting with an ebb and occurring at intervals of 10-11 minutes. The water level rose up to 2 m, but there were no casualties. In Honolulu the sea level rose and fell 13 times within a few hours.

It is possible that the tsunami was also recorded on the island of Mangareva.

(above from reference #415)

April 11, 1819, 03:00 UTC, 27 S, 71.5 W, magnitude 8.5. (reference #552)

April 11, 1819, 15:00 UTC, 27.35 S, 71.35 W, magnitude 8.3, generated a tsunami. (reference #1206)

[Also see Chilean earthquakes on March 30, 1796; August 24, 1798; April 3, 1819; April 4, 1819.]