The 1970 Huascarán debris avalanche occurred on May 31, 1970, when a debris avalanche and mudflow triggered by the Ancash earthquake destroyed the Peruvian town of Yungay and ten nearby villages, leaving up to 30,000 people dead.
| Yungay Viejo (old Yungay) in 1980, ten years after the disaster | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 31, 1970 |
| Location | Yungay, Yungay Province, Áncash Region, Peru |
| Type | Debris avalanche/mudflow |
| Cause | Ancash earthquake |
What happened to Peru’s Yungay?
Known as the most catastrophic disaster in Peru’s history, Yungay was destroyed by an earthquake in 1970 and completely disappeared. This town was wiped out entirely along with all of its 25,000 residents, said Lonely Planet, after an 8.0 earthquake on the Ritcher scale struck almost 50 years ago.
What happened in the Yungay disaster?
Thirty-nine years ago this Sunday, on May 31, 1970, an undersea earthquake off the coast of Casma and Chimbote, north of Lima, triggered one of the most cataclysmic avalanches in recorded history – wiping out the entire highland town of Yungay and most of its 25,000 inhabitants. Yungay 1970
What caused the Huascarán avalanche of 1970?
The 1970 Huascarán debris avalanche occurred on May 31, 1970, when a debris avalanche and mudflow triggered by the Ancash earthquake destroyed the Peruvian town of Yungay and ten nearby villages, leaving up to 30.000 people dead.
What was the Great Peruvian earthquake of 1970?
At 15:23 on Sunday, May 31, 1970, the Ancash earthquake (also known as the Great Peruvian earthquake) struck off the coast of Peru with a moment magnitude of 7.9.
What happened during the Peru earthquake in 1970?
On 31 May 1970, a huge earthquake struck off the coast of Peru. The quake and the massive landslides it triggered killed approximately 70,000 people. A wall of ice came loose from Peru's highest mountain, Mount Huascarán, careered down the mountain at incredible speed and buried the town of Yungay.
What happened Yungay?
The most destructive landslide fell from Peru's highest mountain, Mount Huascarán, located in the west-central Andes. Fast-moving snow and earth swallowed the village of Yungay, buried much of Ranrahirca, and devastated other villages in the area. This article was most recently revised and updated by Richard Pallardy.
What caused the Yungay avalanche?
Thirty-nine years ago this Sunday, on May 31, 1970, an undersea earthquake off the coast of Casma and Chimbote, north of Lima, triggered one of the most cataclysmic avalanches in recorded history – wiping out the entire highland town of Yungay and most of its 25,000 inhabitants.
What caused the avalanche in Peru?
The avalanche originated from a overhanging cliff with an elevation of 5,400 to 6,500 meters above sea level in the Peruvian Andes mountain range. The cliff consisted of a fractured granite rock on its peak covered with a 30-meter thick glacier, the center reported.
When did the Yungay avalanche happen?
May 31, 19701970 Huascarán debris avalanche / Start dateThe 1970 Huascarán Debris Avalanche occurred on May 31, 1970, when a debris avalanche and mudflow triggered by the Ancash earthquake destroyed the Peruvian town of Yungay and ten nearby villages, leaving up to 30,000 people dead.
What natural disasters happen in Peru?
Natural disastersEarthquakes. Peru is in an active earthquake zone and there are frequent tremors. ... Volcanoes. If you're planning to visit areas of known volcanic activity, pay careful attention to all warnings and follow the advice of the local authorities. ... Tsunamis and High tides. ... Flooding and landslides.
When did huascarán avalanche happen?
May 31, 19701970 Huascarán debris avalanche / Start date
How many people died in the Yungay landslide?
30,0001970 Huascarán debris avalanche / Number of deaths
What was the magnitude of the 1970 Peru earthquake?
At 3:23 p.m. local time, on May 31, 1970, an earthquake of magnitude 7 ¾; occurred approximately 15 miles off the coast of Peru, west of Chimbote.
What is avalanche disaster?
Disastrous avalanches occur when massive slabs of snow break loose from a mountainside. The mass of snow shatters like broken glass as it races downhill. These hazards can travel as fast as cars on a freeway, up to 100 miles per hour, says Trautman.
When was the last earthquake in Peru?
Earthquakes in Peru since 1950DateRegionMagnitude05/26/2019La Libertad, Cajamarca; Ecuador8.003/01/2019Arequipa7.001/14/2018Yauca7.108/13/2017Junin5.887 more rows
What was the worst avalanche in history?
On March 1, 1910, an avalanche killed 96 people in Wellington near Stevens Pass, making it the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history. The weather that season stalled recovery efforts for months, and the last body wasn't pulled until July, which was 21 weeks later.
How many people died in the Yungay landslide?
30,0001970 Huascarán debris avalanche / Number of deaths
What are some of the worst tsunamis in history?
10 worst tsunamis in historySumatra, Indonesia – 26 December 2004. ... North Pacific Coast, Japan – 11 March 2011. ... Lisbon, Portugal – 1 November 1755. ... Krakatau, Indonesia – 27 August 1883. ... Enshunada Sea, Japan – 20 September 1498. ... Nankaido, Japan – 28 October 1707. ... Sanriku, Japan – 15 June 1896. ... Northern Chile – 13 August 1868.More items...•
Overview
The 1970 Huascarán Debris Avalanche occurred on May 31, 1970, when a debris avalanche and mudflow triggered by the Ancash earthquake destroyed the Peruvian town of Yungay and ten nearby villages, leaving up to 30,000 people dead. It is the deadliest avalanche or glacier-related disaster in history, and the third or fourth most deadly landslide-related disaster of the 20th century, after the Haiyuan landslides (China), the Armero tragedy (Colombia) and by some estimates the Khait la…
Background
Due to its rugged terrain, high elevation and location in an active seismic zone, the Callejón de Huaylas, or upper Río Santa valley has historically been vulnerable to large landslides, mudslides and avalanches. Huascáran, the highest peak of the Peruvian Andes, rises to an elevation of 6,768 m (22,205 ft) to the east of the valley. Río Llanguanuco, a tributary of Río Santa, drains a ravi…
Earthquake and landslide
At 15:23 on Sunday, May 31, 1970, the Ancash earthquake (also known as the Great Peruvian earthquake) struck off the coast of Peru with a moment magnitude of 7.9. The shaking dislodged a slab of rock about 800 m (2,600 ft) wide from the western face of Huascarán's north peak, at an elevation of roughly 5,600 to 6,200 m (18,400 to 20,300 ft). The rockfall occurred almost immediately after the shaking began, with witnesses comparing the sound to a gunshot or explo…
Casualties and losses
The number of deaths from the 1970 avalanche has been difficult to quantify; due to the sheer size of the devastated area and the depth to which the towns were buried, thousands of missing bodies were never found. Furthermore, the casualties in Yungay were greatly increased due to the disaster having occurred on Sunday – market day – when many people had come in from the countryside. Most estimates range between a total of 15,000 and 18,000 killed in Yungay and th…
Aftermath
Due to Yungay's cultural and economic importance as the capital of Yungay Province, many survivors not only from Yungay but the surrounding villages resisted government efforts to resettle them elsewhere. Within a year of the disaster, some 2,000 survivors had clustered in the refugee camp known as "Yungay Norte", only a few hundred metres north of the destroyed city. Although this location was much safer from landslides than old Yungay, it was geographically c…
See also
• List of avalanches
• List of avalanches by death toll
• List of landslides