May 10, 1877 Tsunami: Northern Chile

A magnitude 8.3 earthquake in Chile produced a 24 m tsunami that caused extensive damage along the Peru-Chile coast and fatalities in Chile. Tsunami waves occurred on a large stretch of the South American coast. At the source of the earthquake and the tsunami, the mean rise of water was 10 m. The oscillations in level apparently began here with a

small ebb tide. It was observed throughout the Pacific Basin including Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Mexico and California. The tsunami was observed at all the islands of the Hawaiian archipelago. The tsunami caused fatalities in Hawaii and Japan. It was well recorded at Fort Point and Sausalito with amplitudes of about 0.6 feet but not seen on the San Diego tide gauge. According to References #415 and #3977 thousands were swept away in Fiji.

May 9, 20:00, 1877, 21.5 S, 70.5 W, magnitude 8. There was a destructive earthquake and catastrophic tsunami with source off the northern coast of Chile. This is sometimes mentioned in the literature as the Iquique tsunami. At Iquique at 20:20, a slight booming rumble was heard, accompanied by slow oscillations of the ground, which soon became terrible tremors lasting about 4 minutes. It was impossible to stand without holding on to something. A cloud of dust arose in the air. A fire was

started by overturned lamps in the southern part of the city. However, it was soon extinguished. This earthquake was considered stronger than any previously felt in the city [7 degrees]. There was a similar earthquake at San Pedro, accompanied by a terrible rumble. Buildings were partially destroyed, and many inhabitants were confused, but no one died, since people had time to run from their homes [7-8 degrees]. Tarapaca, Mamina, Pica, La Horia, La Tarama, Conchones, and Punta Lobos were more or less destroyed [7]. At Caleta Pabellon de Pica, the earthquake lasted 5 minutes with increasing force. More than 10 fires were started by overturned lamps. The fires were extinguished by the flood. Thirty-three workers died in a

landslide. Furniture and lamps were overturned; fires broke out. Colossal chunks of rock fell from the mountain sides; cracks up to 15 m deep in places opened up in the ground. According to reports, 30 workers were buried in a guano pit. A slight shock was felt here three or four days before the earthquake. The guano grooves caved in at Huanillos. All homes were destroyed. Tocopilla was destroyed. Forty miners (according to later reports, only three or four) died when a shaft collapsed 8 km south of the city. At Cobija, almost all adobe houses were damaged or destroyed. People were thrown to the ground [7-81. The earthquake lasted 3-8 minutes; all the furnaces collapsed at Caracoles. At Mejillones, a very severe earthquake lasted 7 minutes; people were thrown to the ground. (reference #415)

Most of the damage and loss of life was caused by the tsunami. There were about 30 dead in Iquique, 14 in

Cobija, etc. In Arica the population withdrew to high ground immediately, thus avoiding casualties. (reference #252)