November 7, 1837 Earthquake: Valdivia, Chile

Reference #415:

1837, November 7, 8:05 [local time]. A strong earthquake (42.5 S, 74 W, magnitude 8.5) occurred at Valdivia, Castro and Ancud (San Carlos). At Valdivia, this was the strongest earthquake since the founding of the city. It lasted about 10 minutes. It was difficult to remain standing. The city was completely destroyed, though no one died. Weaker shocks were felt all day.On Chiloe Island and the Chonos Archipelago (at San Xavier, Ancud), at Osorno and other points, the ground shook for 40 days with slight interruptions. During the main shock, those who were trying to keep standing by holding onto trees were thrown to the ground. The destruction was very thorough. The bulk of the houses, which were constructed without cross beams, but only on piles dug into the ground, were destroyed. At the mill, the millstones began to move. The upturned sod in the potato field fell back in place. The trees were broken or uprooted. Everywhere, the ground was covered with cracks.

Avalanches took place in the southern part of the country.

The earthquake was rather strong at Talcahuano and Concepcion, where it lasted about 8 minutes. A strong subterranean rumble was heard, and the bells rang by themselves. The earthquake was not felt in the region of Los Andes.

Reference #252:

1837, November 7, 7 or 8 a.m. Magnitude 8. Third Valdivia earthquake. This was undoubtedly another large South Chilean shock, like 1575, 1737, and 1960; damage was comparable at Castro and Valdivia, and tsunami effects were more noticeable near the coast of Chiloe Island. The small amount of damage was attributed to the prevalence of timber construction.

Montessus de Ballore claims that no "maremoto" was generated; yet the reports of tsunami damage on Samoa, Hawaii, and the coast of Japan must be connected with this event. Three successive fluctuations of the sea were observed in Ancud, but no wave was generated along the east coast of the island. On some flat shores the flooding extended up to 1000 yards inland, but no damage was reported. These effects are not unlike those observed in 1960, except for Valdivia which was spared by the tsunami in 1837. All these data put together appear to indicate an offshore epicenter south of the latitude of Valdivia.

Landslides occurred throughout Southern Chile. On Chiloe Island large cracks and fissures appeared in the ground; many trees were uprooted or snapped off, as in 1960. Coastal uplift of the order of eight feet was observed at one point of Lemus Islund (Chonos Archipelago), south of Chiloe Island. No other observations on coastal changes appear to exist.

The magnitude of this earthquake is difficult to estimate on account of the uncertainty of epicentral location. However, the general effects correspond

to an earthquake of magnitude 8, at least.

Reference #236:

1837, November 7, 12:51. A strong earthquake that destroyed Valdivia, Chile, generated a tsunami that caused widespread damage on the Hawaiian Islands and was

observed in Samoa, the Tonga Islands, and Japan. The tsunami caused 14 fatalities at Hilo and and 2 fatalities at Kahului. Reports of 108 houses destroyed and 46 deaths [in the Kau district of Hawaii] due to the tsunami in Soloviev and Go (ref #415) and Iida et al. (ref #79) are erroneous and refer to the April 1868 tsunami.

1837, November 7. Valdivia, Chile, magnitude 8, tsunami. (Reference #1002)

1837, November 7, 12:51 UTC. Chile, Valdivia, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed

towns and devastated districts. (Reference #1055)

1837, November 7, 11:30 UTC. 39.8 S, 73.2 W, magnitude 8, intensity X, tsunami, casualties. (Reference #1206)