January 8, 1865 Earthquake: Peru
An earthquake struck Peru on January 8, 1865. It killed 5 people, counting the tsunami it caused.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- January 8, 1865
- Place
- Peru
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 12.000° S, 77.100° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Deaths
- 5 with its tsunami and other effects
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with its tsunami and other effects
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50) with its tsunami and other effects
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
On January 8 and 9, 1865, there were two earthquakes at Callao. The sea was very agitated and did great damage. A bathhouse was washed away, killing five people. The crest of the breakwater collapsed. Other structures were destroyed. In the port, off shore, and as far as the horizon the sea looked like a cauldron of boiling water. (reference #415)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- 1657, Lima,callao, Peru
- 1654, Lima, Chile, Peru
- October 29, 1746, Lima, Callao, Peru
- October 20, 1687, Lima, Peru
- August 15, 2007, Ica, Pisco, Lima, Peru
- May 24, 1940, Peru
- October 3, 1974, Lima, Callao, Peru
- March 30, 1828, Lima, Callao, Peru
- July 10, 1586, Lima, Peru
- December 24, 1937, Huancabamba,oxapampa,el Progreso,san David, Peru
- January 5, 1974, Lima, Yauyos, Peru
- April 18, 1993, Lima, Peru
- July 19, 2026, Junin, Peru
- May 28, 1948, Canete, Peru
- March 28, 1982, Coast, Lunahuana, Lima, Huancayo, Peru
More
Significant earthquakes of 1865The 1800sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 6151.