March 20, 1861 Earthquake: Mendoza, San Luiz, Argentina

March 10 [20], 1861, 20:45 [local time]. Mendosa was destroyed by an earthquake. Fourteen thousand dead were reported. There was considerable damage at San Luiz. The damage was not so great south of Mendosa. Several homes were damaged at San Vicente and Lujan-de-Cuiga. Most of San Martin survived, but some homes were damaged. The rural environs of Mendosa suffered little damage. There were no signs of the earthquake at all at many farms, but everything was overturned at others. No subterranean rumble was heard during the earthquake (Perrey, 1864 b, ref #4118). The earthquake affected part of Chile and was felt at Santiago and Valparaiso as strong undulating oscillations lasting 50 seconds. "There was talk of a flood, which supposedly accompanied this earthquake, but I could discover absolutely no details, not even the date." (Perrey, 1864 b, ref #4118)

(above from reference #415)

March 20, 1861-At Mendozr, South America, about two-thirds of the city and 7,000 lives lost. (reference #1073)

March 20, 1861, 00:16 UTC, Argentina, San Luis, San Vicenti, Lujan, Mendoza, reached Santiago in Chile, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)

March 21, 1861, Mendoza, Argentina, 18,000 dead. (reference #1002)

It was the most destructive earthquake in Argentina's history in percentage terms. It destroyed the city of Mendoza and neighbouring departments, leaving 6,000 people dead out of a total population of 18,000. Its intensity was IX Mercalli degrees. (reference #14044)