April 5, 1986 Earthquake: Cuzco, Peru
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck Cuzco, Peru on April 5, 1986 at 20:14:28 UTC, 51 km below the surface. It killed 16 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
- April 5, 1986
- Time
- 20:14:28 UTC
- Place
- Cuzco, Peru
- Magnitude
- 4.6 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 51 km (32 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 13.410° S, 71.785° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Deaths
- 16
- Injuries
- 170
- Damage
- $22 million
- Houses destroyed
- 2,000
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.
Reference #1250 lists $22 million damage.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 17, 1707, Cuzco, Peru
- November 4, 1913, Amyaraes, Abancay, Casaya, Soraya, Peru
- May 21, 1950, Cusco, Peru
- January 31, 1943, Yanacoa, Pampamarca, Peru
- June 24, 1939, Pomacanchi, Peru
- April 9, 1928, Peru
- September 28, 2014, Paruro Province, Peru
- October 15, 1971, Apurimac, Peru
- August 9, 2001, Antabama, Peru
- April 17, 2024, Quispicanchi, Peru
- March 31, 1650, Sicasica, Cuzco,collao,lima, Bolivia, Peru
- 1581, Yanaoca, Peru
- 1747, Ayapata, Carabaya Province, Peru
- March 24, 1739, Santa Catalina, Peru
- April 13, 1861, Peru
More
Significant earthquakes of 1986The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1986Recent 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 5092.