August 24, 1942 Earthquake: Ica, Nazca, Peru

On August 24, 1942, at 17:51 [local time] there was a magnitude 8.1 earthquake with a pleistoseismic area of 18,000 km2 between 14o and 16o S., in the boundary regions of the departments of Ica and Arequipa. The maximum intensity was estimated at 9 degrees; 30 people died and 25 were injured. It was felt with a force of 3-4 degrees or more on an area of 400,000 km2, which included Huaras in the north, Serro de Pasco and Ojapampa in the northeast, Cuzco in the east and Mocegua in the south. It lasted more than a minute (according to other sources, up to 2 minutes).

At Nasca, a third of the buildings collapsed completely. The settlements of Acari and Jaqui were left in ruins. Only modern buildings remained standing at Caravelli. Buildings suffered damage at Ica, Pisco, Chincha, Coracora, Huancapi, Chala and Arequipa. At Chala, some residents could not remain standing.

A number of avalanches occurred, which blocked the roads leading to the interior, especially near Puquio and in other places on the western slopes of the Andes, and also northwest of Cangallo settlement on the eastern slope. The rocky slopes of Calpa Mountain in the Caravelli district cracked. A section of coast in San Juan Bay rose, as a result of which, a cutwater dried up to 1 m.

Many recurrent shocks were felt for 24 hours at Nasca and Lomas.

At Lomas, the sea retreated 200 m and then flooded the settlement, destroying moorages and customs warehouses. Several people were injured.

(above from reference #415)

Magnitude 8.6. (reference #552)

August 24, 1942, 22:50.7 UTC, 14.7 S, 75 W, Peru, near Lima. Destructive at Nazca and Ica. 22 deaths, 50 injured. Possibly 150 km deep. Another epicenter reported on 25th. (reference #45)

Magnitude 8.1 MS, 8.2 Mw. (reference #1314)

August 24, 1942, 22:50:27 UTC, 15 S, 76 W, magnitude 8.2, 30 deaths, 25 injured, severe damage. (reference #1111)

Magnitude 8.6, intensity IX. (reference #1221)

August 24, 1942, 22:50:27 UTC, 15 S, 76 W, depth 60 km, magnitude 8.6 MS. (reference #88)

August 24, 1942, 22:50:27 UTC, 15 S, 76 W, magnitude 8.1 MS. (reference #130)

August 24, 1942, Lima, Peru. A United Press report stated that least 22 persons were killed and 50 injured when a severe earthquake rocked the towns of Nazca and Ica. The center of the temblor apparently was at Nazca, an inland town about 300 miles southeast of Lima. Most of the casualties were reported at Nazca,while two deaths were reported at Ica, about 175 miles south of Lima. A third of the village of Nazca was said to have been leveled and power facilities were disrupted. Earlier in the evening a strong tremor lasting about two minutes was reported felt at Lima, but caused no damage or casualties. Twenty-fours after the first shock, minor shock were still felt at Nazca and Puerto Loma causing nervous inhabitants to flee to open spaces. The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey reports an earthquake at 22h50m7 U.T., with provsional epicenter at 14.5 S, 75.5 W. Depth is uncertain--probably 50 to 100 km. (reference #8201)