April 2, 1851 Earthquake: Valparaiso, Chile

April 2, 1851 at 6:48 a.m. Casablanca earthquake. This shock reached a very high intensity in Valparaiso-Vina del Mar and intensities around 7 in Santiago. A few persons were killed. Damage was high throughout the Quillota Valley and in the Aconcagua Valley. In Vina del Mar ground water was expelled through cracks in the ground. Montessus de Ballore assumes that the epicenter was the same as in

1906; but the distribution of isoseismals indicates that the latter must have been nearer to Valparaiso. The magnitude is estimated at 7 to 7 1/2. No tsunami (Table 1). (reference #252)

April 2, 1851 6:48 [local time]. A destructive earthquake occurred in central Chile (Valparaiso, Casablanca, Santiago and other cities). Many homes were destroyed. There were victims. Many aftershocks took place... Only a seaquake was felt, 70 km (40 miles) from Valparaiso. As for the sea level, more accurate sources (Perrey, 1854 a, 1860; Goll, 1903; Montessus de Ballore, 1912) mentioned that "this time the ocean did not undergo the convulsive movements so often accompanying very severe earthquakes at Valparaiso. No special waves were observed, like those enormous waves which at other times have devastated the coast. Nor was any residual elevation of the land observed." (reference #415)

April 2, 1851, 10:48 UTC, 33.32 S, 71.42 W, magnitude 7.1 MS, intensity VIII, casualties. (reference #1206)

April 2, 1851, 11:27 GMT. Chile, Valparaiso, Casa Blanca on the road to Santiago, extended north to Copiapo, Coquimbo and Cobija and south to Concepcion, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)

On 1851 Apr. 2, however, many public buildings and houses in Valparaiso and Santiago were thrown down, while Quillota and Casa Blanca mere seriously injured. (reference #516)