February 21, 1996 Tsunami: N. Peru

According to the Institute for National Civil Defense in Peru, 12 people died in the tsunami and 57 were injured; 375 required assistance, including 85 who were compensated for loss of crops. Fifteen houses were destroyed, 22 "affected"; 2 boats were destroyed and 23 damaged. All along the affected area many temporary beach structures (kiosks) made of grass mats were swept away or damaged. Many boats were displaced, most dramatically from Samanco Bay south of Chimbote, where boats were displaced 300 m inland and remained beached there at the time of our survey. At Culebras, an unreinforced brick harbor wall was pushed over by the tsunami. At Coishco, some brick houses

were damaged, several reinforced brick:concrete factory walls were partially destroyed, and 400 tons of fish meal stored behind a brick and concrete wall were damaged or destroyed. The fatalities including six line fishermen on the rocks at Coishco (Caleta Santa), four persons gathering firewood at the mouth of the Santa River, and two children on the beach looking for gold at Campo Santa. The Civil Defense reported that evacuation took place in the Chimbote area after the earthquake and as the water retreated on the morning of 21 February. All deaths were in isolated regions, and it is unknown whether tsunami victims felt the earthquake, knew if they did to expect a tsunami, or saw the tsunami coming.

The tsunami on 21 February arrived at approximately mid-tide, on an outgoing tide. Throughout the surveyed region normal tidal range is between about 0.7 and

1.1 m.

Since the tide gauge of Chimbote saturated after the initial rise of the tsunami, and the Salaverry and Callao records are truncated, eyewitness reports are invaluable.

The wave was generally described as black with no indications of breaking, occasionally with a hissing sound. Many recalled either two or three waves, usually in quick succession, with the second being the largest. The time between waves varied and at Coishco was reported near 8 min, at La Posa Huanchaco 9 minutes, at Playa Chimus 25 minutes. Many interviewees noted that during (and after) the

tsunami the water became more turbulent, with bigger waves and a dirtier appearance. In El Dorado and Puerto Supe, eyewitnesses pointed to rocks and dock structures beyond which the water withdrew first. A number of eyewitnesses noted that the water remained high (or ponded) for 2-3 days.

(above from reference #48)