1985 Rapel Lake earthquake explained

1985 Rapel Lake earthquake
Timestamp:1985-04-09 01:56:59
Anss-Url:usp0002dm4
Isc-Event:527122
Local-Time:21:56:59 UTC-4
Magnitude:7.2
7.5
Depth:37.80NaN0
Location:-34.12°N -71.51°W
Countries Affected:Chile, Argentina
Tsunami:No
Casualties:2 killed

The 1985 Rapel Lake earthquake[1] [2] occurred on 8 April at with a moment magnitude of 7.2 and a maximum perceived intensity of VI (Strong).[3] The shock was centered 75km (47miles) southwest of Santiago, Chile,[4] with a focal depth of 37.80NaN0.[5]

Earthquake

See also: Peru–Chile Trench.

The 9 April 1985 earthquake occurred in the same fault area as the 2010 Pichilemu earthquake, and is considered by University of Chile Seismological Service a thrust fault-type interplate earthquake.[6]

The earthquake, measured in the Modified Mercalli intensity, reached magnitude VI in Curacaví, La Calera, Los Andes, Peñaflor, San Antonio, Valparaíso, and Viña del Mar; and magnitude V–VI in Concón, Constitución, Curicó, La Ligua, Melipilla, Papudo, Pichilemu, Puchuncaví, Quilpué, and Villa Alemana.[4] The earthquake was felt throughout much of central Chile from La Serena to Osorno. It was also felt in Mendoza, San Juan, San Luis, Córdoba, Tucumán, and Santa Fe provinces in Argentina. According to national radio networks, the tremors "were felt along a 1,000-mile stretch of Chile from Copiapó in the north to Valdivia in the south and across the Andes mountains in Argentina".

Although it has been considered by the news media as an aftershock of the 3 March 1985 earthquake,[6] according to Rosa Urrutia de Hazbún and Carlos Lanza Lazcano's book Catástrofes en Chile 1541–1992, this earthquake was a different and separate event.[7]

Mario Pardo, the director of the Chilean Seismological Service, told international press in April 1985 that it was "apparently an aftershock from the 3 March earthquake that killed 177 in central Chile" and that "the quake was centered in the ocean off the coast near Pichilemu, a city 100 miles southwest of Santiago".[8]

According to national radio networks, the tremors "were felt along a 1,000-mile stretch of Chile from Copiapó in the north to Valdivia in the south and across the Andes Mountaines in Argentina".[8]

Damage and effects

Two people died of heart attacks after the earthquake; one in Santiago and another in Chillán. The earthquake lasted approximately three minutes according to The New York Times.[9]

It created damage in addition to that already caused by 3 March earthquake in the Santiago-Valparaíso area.

Hundreds of people panicked into the streets, while radio stations reported some brief power blackouts. In Valparaíso, the roof of a house collapsed, while other houses fell down in Curacaví. No injuries were reported.[8]

Previous events

See main article: 1985 Algarrobo earthquake.

A magnitude 8.0 earthquake was registered on 3 March 1985 offshore Valparaíso, Valparaíso Region. It reached a maximum intensity of IX on the Mercalli intensity scale. 177 people were killed, 2,575 injured, 142,489 houses were damaged and about a million people were left homeless.[10] There was a long interruption on basic services, and the damage provoked by that earthquake was estimated to be more than 1,046 million US dollars.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Terremotos de Chile (Historia).
  2. Web site: :: SISMO24.CL :: Principales Terremotos en Chile, la noticias . 21 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101203083616/http://www.sismo24.cl/500sismos/720chmagnitud.html . 3 December 2010 . dead .
  3. Web site: Planificación Urbana en Zonas de Riesgo. Luis Valenzuela. Universidad Católica de Chile. Spanish. 14 April 2010. 11 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20120312021435/http://politicaspublicas.uc.cl/media/agenda/material/20100325124410_Presentacion_Luis_Valenzuela.pdf. 12 March 2012. dead.
  4. Sismo del 8 de abril de 1985. 1985. University of Chile Geological Service. Spanish. Santiago de Chile.
  5. Web site: Análisis de la sismicidad registrada por redes terrestres y submarinas . Universidad de Chile . Spanish . 1 July 2007.
  6. Web site: Estudio comparativo de los terremotos de subducción chilenos con los terremotos de subducción del norte, centro y sur de América . University of Chile Seismological Service . 12 September 2010 . Spanish . 16–19 November 2005 . Concepción, Chile . https://web.archive.org/web/20130227224735/http://ssn.dgf.uchile.cl/informes/congreso/A01-14.pdf . 27 February 2013 . dead . dmy .
  7. Book: Urrutia de Hazbún. Rosa. Lanza Lazcano. Carlos. Catástrofes en Chile, 1541–1992. 1993. Editorial La Noria. Santiago de Chile. Spanish. 13 September 2010 .
  8. News: The State. Columbia, South Carolina. 2. 9 April 1985. Powerful quake shakes up Chile. Pardo said the quake was centered in the ocean off the coast near Pichilemu, a city 100 miles southwest of Santiago..
  9. News: Strong quake jolts Chile . https://web.archive.org/web/20130227224428/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/09/world/strong-quake-jolts-chile.html . 27 February 2013 . live. AP . 8 April 1985 . 8 September 2010 . dmy . The New York Times .
  10. Web site: Terremoto de 1985. Angelfire. Spanish. 12 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100804071652/http://www.angelfire.com/nt/terremotosdeChile2/. 4 August 2010 . live.
  11. News: Grandes Terremotos en Chile. El Mercurio. 12 September 2010. Santiago de Chile. https://web.archive.org/web/20120207175813/http://www.emol.com/especiales/terremotos/chile.htm. 7 February 2012. live.