June 19, 1968 Earthquake: San Martin,moyobamba,yantalo,rioja,lamas, Peru
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck San Martin,moyobamba,yantalo,rioja,lamas, Peru on June 19, 1968 at 08:13:35 UTC, 15 km below the surface. It killed 15 people.
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
- June 19, 1968
- Time
- 08:13:35 UTC
- Place
- San Martin,moyobamba,yantalo,rioja,lamas, Peru
- Magnitude
- 6.8 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 15 km (9 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 5.610° S, 77.086° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Deaths
- 15
- Injuries
- 120
- Damage
- $100,000
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.
June 19. This earthquake centered in a sparsely populated area of the Amazon Basin. Moyobamba, in the Department of San Martin, was seriously affected. Forty-six persons were killed, 120 injured, and 50 houses destroyed. In a boat trip along the Mayo River, Peruvian scientists reported landslides, ground fractures, and overturned trees. (reference #45)
Reference #1250 lists 11 dead, 120 injured. 100,000 USD in damages.
References #1111 and #13779 lists 15 dead.
Reference #10476 (v.10) lists 1968-06-19 08:13:35.78 UTC, 5.61 S 77.086 W, magnitude 6.8 Mw
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 30, 1990, Moyabamba-Riojo, Peru
- April 5, 1991, Rioja, Moyobamba, Nueva Cajamarca, Peru
- May 14, 1928, Chacahpoyas,huancabamba,cajamarca,pinpincos, Peru
- March 20, 1972, Juanjui, Peru
- April 12, 1983, Chimbote, Peru
- September 26, 2005, Lamas, Chachapoyas, Moyobamba, Tarapota, Peru
- May 26, 2019, La Libertad, Cajamarca, Ecuador, Peru
- June 9, 1990, N, Rioja, Moyobamba, Iquitos, Peru
- April 4, 1991, Rioja, Neuva Cajamarca, Peru
- November 28, 2021, Amazonas, Peru
- October 31, 2005, Northern Peru
More
Significant earthquakes of 1968The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1968Recent 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 4445.