June 23, 2001 Earthquake: Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Ayacucho, Peru

Name: June 23, 2001 Earthquake: Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Ayacucho, Peru
Start: 2001-06-23
Location: Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Ayacucho, Peru

June 23, 2001 · M8.4 · 103 deaths · $200 million · 25,399 houses destroyed

A magnitude 8.4 earthquake struck Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Ayacucho, Peru on June 23, 2001 at 20:33:14 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It killed 103 people, counting the tsunami it caused.

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: June 23, 2001
Time: 20:33:14 UTC
Place: Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Ayacucho, Peru
Magnitude: 8.4 (Mw)
Focal depth: 33 km (21 mi)
Intensity: 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 16.265° S, 73.641° W
Country: Peru

The toll

Deaths: 77; 103 with its tsunami and other effects
Missing: 68; 138 with its tsunami and other effects
Injuries: 2,713
Damage: Extreme (about $25 million or more); $200 million with its tsunami and other effects
Houses destroyed: 22,399; 25,399 with its tsunami and other effects

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.

2001, June 23, 20:33:14.1 UTC. 16.265 S, 73.641 W, 33 N depth, 6.7 mb, 8.2 MS, MW 8.4 (HRV). At least 74 people killed, including 26 killed by a tsunami; 2,689 injured; 17,584 homes destroyed (VIII) and 35,601 homes damaged in the Arequipa-Camana-Tacna area. An additional 64 people missing due to the tsunami in the Camana-Chala area. Landslides blocked highways in the epicentral area. Many of the historic buildings at Arequipa were damaged or destroyed. Some people injured and damage reported in the Arica, Chile area. Felt (VII) at Arica, (VI) at Iquique, (V) at Calama and (III) at Tocopilla, Chile. Felt strongly in much of southern Peru and northern Chile. Felt (III) at La Paz, Bolivia. Acceleration of 0.29g was recorded at Moquegua. Tsunami runup heights near Camana are estimated from field evidence to have reached

approximately 7m at some locations; at other locations, the tsunami inundation distance extended more than 1 km inland from the coast. (reference #1053)

2001, June 23. 77 dead, 68 missing, 2713 injured, 33,570 homes damaged and 25,399 houses destroyed. The departments most affected were Arequipa, Ayacucho, Moquegua, and Tacna. Landslides blocked highways in the epicentral area. Many of the historic buildings at Arequipa were damaged or destroyed. Demographic information on earthquake victims compiled by the Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil suggests that most of the victims of ground-shaking damage were the young or the elderly. However, about a third of the tsunami victims were between 30 and 50. No demographic information was available for the 52 persons listed as missing, but anecdotal evidence gathered by the reconnaissance team indicated that most were farmers working in the onion fields. The normal Saturday work shift ended at 4:00 pm, and before their shift ended. (reference #1373)

2001, June 23. 145 killed, 2713 injured (reference #1250)

2001, June 23. 102 killed, 1368 injured. (reference #1375)

2001, June 23. The earthquake generated a tsunami that struck the Peruvian coast. An additional 26 people were killed and 70 missing due to the tsunami in the Camana area. (reference #1315)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 2001 The 2000s Every quake the USGS located in 2001 Recent earthquakes near here This 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 5601.