March 20, 1972 Earthquake: Juanjui, Peru
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Juanjui, Peru on March 20, 1972 at 07:33:49 UTC, 64 km below the surface. It killed 12 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
- March 20, 1972
- Time
- 07:33:49 UTC
- Place
- Juanjui, Peru
- Magnitude
- 6.1 (mb)
- Focal depth
- 64 km (40 mi)
- Intensity
- 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 6.800° S, 76.800° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Deaths
- 12
- Injuries
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Damage
- $20 million
- Houses destroyed
- 500
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.
Seven killed, 50 injured and major property damage in Juanjui area (reference #45)
12 deaths, 20 million USD damage (reference #1250)
22 injured, around 500 homes uninhabitable. (reference #13779)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 30, 1990, Moyabamba-Riojo, Peru
- April 5, 1991, Rioja, Moyobamba, Nueva Cajamarca, Peru
- June 19, 1968, San Martin,moyobamba,yantalo,rioja,lamas, Peru
- September 26, 2005, Lamas, Chachapoyas, Moyobamba, Tarapota, Peru
- October 2, 1987, Santaog DE Chuco, Trujillo, Chimbote, Peru
- June 9, 1990, N, Rioja, Moyobamba, Iquitos, Peru
- April 4, 1991, Rioja, Neuva Cajamarca, Peru
- November 16, 1907, Peru
More
Significant earthquakes of 1972The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1972Recent 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 4596.