Week 3: Earthquakes


Peru is a vulnerable and intense seismic country. There are very strong earthquakes with far-reaching consequences that radiate throughout Peru historically. Due to Peru being part of the Ring of Fire and over the Nazca Plate, earthquakes have hit the country with a magnitude of over 8.0 and have been known for severely causing destructive damage. Since 1950 more than 68,600 Peruvian citizens have died from these hazardous earthquakes (according to worddata.info). 

While I was doing my research, I asked my dad if he had ever experienced any hazardous earthquakes when he lived in Peru from 1969 to the 1980’s. He responded saying thankfully his city wasn’t ever affected by earthquakes but when he was just two years old that the deadliest earthquake in Peruvian history hit the town of Yungay. On May 31, 1970, a huge earthquake hit the coast of Peru resulting in a massive landslide covering the entire town of Yungay. A wall of ice fell from Peru’s highest mountain, Mount HuascarĂ¡n, resulting in an insane speed of falling ice immediately killing more than 70,000 people. The only remains of the town were a few palm trees and a statue of Christ. 

Nowadays, Peru has been taking action to prepare it’s citizens for any occurrence of a possible earthquake. President Vizcarra gave out a statement quoting that the government is “absolutely committed to preventing natural disasters' ' (according to livinginperu.com). Emergency evacuations have also been practiced in different cities and communities in Peru. Thank you.



  


Work cited:

https://www.worlddata.info/america/peru/earthquakes.php

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-52839770https://www.livinginperu.com/peru-is-committed-to-prepare-in-case-of-earthquakes-or-tsunamis/


Comments