Significant earthquakes of 1986

January 11, 1986 Earthquake: Huarmey, Casma, Huarax, Chimbote, Peru

January 11, 1986 · M5.3 · 1 death · 60 houses destroyed

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Huarmey, Casma, Huarax, Chimbote, Peru on January 11, 1986 at 19:42:21 UTC, 39 km below the surface. It killed 1 person.

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 11, 1986
Time
19:42:21 UTC
Place
Huarmey, Casma, Huarax, Chimbote, Peru
Magnitude
5.3 (mb)
Focal depth
39 km (24 mi)
Intensity
4 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
9.505° S, 77.512° W
Country
Peru

The toll

Deaths
1
Damage
Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
Houses destroyed
60

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.

One person killed. About 28 houses destroyed,

another 60 damaged and obout 100 people homeless in the

Huarmey orea. About 40 animals killed by landslides.

Felt (IV) at Casma and Huaraz ond (II) ot Chlmbote. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

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 5089.