July 23, 1991 Earthquake: Maca, Chivay, Yanque, Peru
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck Maca, Chivay, Yanque, Peru on July 23, 1991 at 19:44:50 UTC, 5 km below the surface. It killed 92 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
- July 23, 1991
- Time
- 19:44:50 UTC
- Place
- Maca, Chivay, Yanque, Peru
- Magnitude
- 4.7 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 5 km (3 mi)
- Intensity
- 5 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 15.679° S, 71.574° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Deaths
- 92
- Injuries
- 30
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Many (101 to 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.
1991, July 23. At least 12 people killed, 30 injured
and about 80 missing in the Maca-Chivay area. Felt (V) at Maca, Yanque, Ichupampa and Achoma. Felt (II) at Arequipa. Landslides occurred in the epicentral area. (reference #1053)
1991, July 23. 11 killed, 35 injured, 1535 affected, village of Maca 90% destroyed. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- February 19, 1600, Volcan Huaynaputina, Peru
- May 13, 1784, Arequipa,camana,moquegua,tambo, Peru
- July 10, 1821, Camana, Ocona, Caraveli, Peru
- January 31, 1943, Yanacoa, Pampamarca, Peru
- January 13, 1960, Arequipa,chuquibamba,caraveli,cotahuasi, Peru
- January 22, 1582, Socabaya,arequipa, Peru
- December 2, 1914, Pararca,paysa,colta,oyala, Peru
- January 15, 1958, Arequipa, Peru
- February 16, 1979, Arequipa, Peru
- August 15, 2016, Arequipa, Peru
- August 9, 2001, Antabama, Peru
- July 8, 2008, Arequipa, Peru
- October 9, 1955, Mungui,la Union Prov,arequipa,toro,cotahuasi, Peru
- December 1, 2016, Puno, Lampa, Peru
- April 3, 1999, Camana, Arequipa, Peru
More
Significant earthquakes of 1991The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1991Recent 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 5300.