Significant earthquakes of 1987

August 8, 1987 Earthquake: Arica, Iquique, Chile

August 8, 1987 · M6.9 · 5 deaths · $1 million · 1,000 houses destroyed

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Arica, Iquique, Chile on August 8, 1987 at 15:48:56 UTC, 70 km below the surface. It killed 5 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
August 8, 1987
Time
15:48:56 UTC
Place
Arica, Iquique, Chile
Magnitude
6.9 (Ms)
Focal depth
70 km (43 mi)
Intensity
7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
19.022° S, 69.991° W
Country
Chile

The toll

Deaths
5
Injuries
112
Damage
$1 million
Houses destroyed
1,000

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.

1989, August 8, 15:48:56.7 UTC. 19.022 S, 69.6991 W, depth 70 km, magnitude 6.4 mb, 6.9 MS. Five people killed, 112

injured and more than 1,000 houses destroyed (VII) In

the Arica area. Several landslides occurred along the

Chile-Peru border. Damage (VI ) at lquique. Felt (V) at

Tocopilla and (III) at Coloma and Antolagasta. Felt

(III) at La Paz, Bolivia. Felt strongly at Tocna, Moquegua and Lima, Peru. Appears to be two events about 5 seconds apart. (reference #1053)

1989, August 8. 5 killed, 5112 affected, $1 million damage. (reference #1250)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1987The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1987Recent 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 5138.