June 23, 2001 Tsunami: S. Peru

2001, June 23. The tsunami struck the Peruvian coast and was observed on tide gages across the Pacific Ocean. In Peru, damage from the tsunami was limited to the south-central portion of coastline from the town of Atico in the north to Matarani in the south. The area surrounding the city of Camana was hit hardest by the waves. Camana is a popular summer resort of around 53,000, 560 miles south of Lima. Here, maximum runup measurements exceeded 7 meters in some locations, with greater than 1-km inundation in some places. According to reports, 2,000 hectares of agricultural land were inundated in Camana. The tsunami swept over the town, and its surrounding rice and sugarcane fields. About 26 people are known to have perished as a result of the tsunami, with roughly 70 missing. The death toll would have been higher had the event not occurred during the Southern Hemisphere winter when the beaches are nearly empty. (reference #1315)

2001, June 23. 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)

At most sites estimates of both inundation

and runup were obtained. The highest runup measured

(8.8 m) was on the narrow beach at Playa Chira, where the coastal platform narrows to less than 500 meters and eyewitnesses described splashing of the waves against the cliffs. (reference #4279)

As a coseismic effect, a local tsunami was generated, which after 15 min, caused the flood and destruction of the beach resorts of Camana and resulted in the death of 25 people and 62 missing persons. (reference #12809)

While, in the most populated beaches such as El Chorro, La Punta and Las Cuevas, it caused the total destruction of 3,500 buildings of noble material and moderate damage in another 1000 approximately, the same ones that in greater numbers were used in the summer periods. As a result of the tsunami, 23 people died in the town of Camana and another 64 were reported missing. The economic losses in this town have been considerable since its entire population subsists on agriculture and commerce. (reference #12813)