May 30, 1990 Earthquake: Moyabamba-Riojo, Peru
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Moyabamba-Riojo, Peru on May 30, 1990 at 02:34:05 UTC, 24 km below the surface. It killed 200 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
- May 30, 1990
- Time
- 02:34:05 UTC
- Place
- Moyabamba-Riojo, Peru
- Magnitude
- 6.5 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 24 km (15 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 6.016° S, 77.229° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Deaths
- 200
- Injuries
- 8,130
- Damage
- $1 million
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.
1990, May 30. At least 135 people killed, more than 8130
injured and severe damage (VI) in the Moyobambo-Rioja
oreo. Felt (V) at Chachapoyas; (IV) at Cajamorca; (Ill)
ot Chiclayo and Chimbote. Also felt (IV) ot Guayaquil,
Ecuador. Three events about 1.5 and 4.8 seconds apart
respectively. (reference #1053)
1990, May 29. 200 killed, 100,800 affected, $1 million damage. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 5, 1991, Rioja, Moyobamba, Nueva Cajamarca, Peru
- May 14, 1928, Chacahpoyas,huancabamba,cajamarca,pinpincos, Peru
- June 19, 1968, San Martin,moyobamba,yantalo,rioja,lamas, Peru
- March 20, 1972, Juanjui, Peru
- April 12, 1983, Chimbote, Peru
- September 26, 2005, Lamas, Chachapoyas, Moyobamba, Tarapota, Peru
- June 9, 1990, N, Rioja, Moyobamba, Iquitos, Peru
- April 4, 1991, Rioja, Neuva Cajamarca, Peru
- October 31, 2005, Northern Peru
- November 28, 2021, Amazonas, Peru
More
Significant earthquakes of 1990The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1990Recent 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 5240.