Significant earthquakes of 1878

January 23, 1878 Earthquake: Tarapaca, Chile

January 23, 1878 · M7.9 · Deaths: few

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Tarapaca, Chile on January 23, 1878 at 12:05 UTC, 40 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.

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 23, 1878
Time
12:05 UTC
Place
Tarapaca, Chile
Magnitude
7.9 (Ms)
Focal depth
40 km (25 mi)
Intensity
8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Epicenter
19.920° S, 70.335° W
Country
Chile

The toll

Deaths
Few (about 1 to 50)
Damage
Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
Houses destroyed
Many (101 to 1,000)

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.

1878, January 23, 19:55 local time, 18.5 S, 70.5 W, magnitude 7. A strong earthquake occurred, in the north of Chile in the province of Tarapaca. The earthquake lasted 1 1/2 minutes at Iquique; 40 mild shocks were registered at night. The earthquake spread to Arica and was very strong even at La Horia, where many homes were destroyed, and at Poso-Almonte and Pisagua, Sibay, Usmagama, Lirnariiian, Guaviiiya, Guaskiiiya, Sipisa, Sotoka, Chyapa and Jaiiia were also destroyed. After the earthquake a wave fell onshore. (reference #415)

January 23, 1878, 12:05 UTC, 19.92 S, 69.53 W, magnitude 7.3, casualties. (reference #1206)

January 23, 1878, 20.055 S, 70.335 W, depth 40 km, magnitude 7.9, intensity VIII. (reference #1218)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1878The 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 2253.