April 4, 1991 Earthquake: Rioja, Neuva Cajamarca, Peru
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Rioja, Neuva Cajamarca, Peru on April 4, 1991 at 15:23:20 UTC, 21 km below the surface.
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 4, 1991
- Time
- 15:23:20 UTC
- Place
- Rioja, Neuva Cajamarca, Peru
- Magnitude
- 6.4 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 21 km (13 mi)
- Intensity
- 5 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 6.038° S, 77.130° W
- Country
- Peru
The toll
- Injuries
- 10
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses damaged
- 15
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, April 4. At least 10 people injured and 15 houses
damaged (V) in the Riojo-Nuevo Cojamorca area. Felt (V)
at Moyobamba and Tarapoto, (IV) at Chachapoyas and
(III) at Chiclayo, Trujillo and Piura. Also felt (III)
in El Oso Province and (II) at Guayaquil and Quito,
Ecuador. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 30, 1990, Moyabamba-Riojo, Peru
- 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
- November 28, 2021, Amazonas, Peru
- October 31, 2005, Northern 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 5278.