Great Quakes
The 1822 Valparaiso Earthquake
Posted by Karl Lundgren on

The sun had just begun its lazy descent over the Pacific, casting a warm glow upon the bustling streets of Valparaíso on November 20, 1822. The air was alive with the hum of maritime trade, echoing the city's moniker as "The Jewel of the Pacific." Little did the residents know that beneath their feet, the Earth was preparing to unleash a force that would shake the very foundations of their world. As the city lay nestled between the coastal mountain range and the vast expanse of the ocean, an unseen tension was building beneath the surface—a tension born of the...
The 1922 Vallenar Earthquake
Posted by Karl Lundgren on

Picture yourself in the tranquil town of Vallenar, Chile, in the overnight hours of November 11, 1922. The moon casts a gentle glow over the streets as the town slumbers, blissfully unaware of the impending catastrophe that's about to unfold. The night is calm, and the residents are nestled in their homes, seeking refuge from the chill of the desert air. However, deep beneath the earth's surface, a geological time bomb is ticking, a ticking that will soon shatter the tranquility of this serene night and the lives of its inhabitants. As the clock strikes 10:05pm local time, a deafening...
The 1952 Severo-Kurilsk Earthquake
Posted by Karl Lundgren on

Imagine a tranquil morning on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean, where life moves at its own unhurried pace. Residents of Severo-Kurilsk, a small town nestled among the rugged landscapes of the Kuril Islands, begin their day, blissfully unaware of the impending cataclysm. Little do they know that November 5, 1952, will be etched in their memories forever. On this fateful day, the Earth itself will unleash a fury that no one can predict, as the 1952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake awakens from its seismic slumber. This is a story of tragedy and resilience, a tale of how a peaceful morning...
The 1947 Satipo Earthquake
Posted by Karl Lundgren on

Imagine a crisp morning in the remote town of Satipo, nestled deep in the heart of Peru's Junín Region. It's November 1, 1947, and the sun's first rays gently kiss the landscape, awakening the town's inhabitants to the promise of a new day. The sleepy town, surrounded by lush forests and flowing rivers, goes about its usual rhythm, unaware of the invisible forces that have been silently building beneath their feet for years. The Nazca Plate and the South American Plate, locked in a geological tango, are about to unleash their pent-up energy in a seismic spectacle that will forever...
The 1687 Peru Earthquake
Posted by Karl Lundgren on

As the sun dipped below the horizon on a warm October evening in 1687, the bustling city of Lima, the crown jewel of Spanish America, was steeped in an eerie calm. Its grand plazas, ornate churches, and elegant palaces bore witness to a society at the zenith of its power and opulence. The residents, dressed in their finest attire, strolled along cobblestone streets, blissfully unaware of the impending catastrophe. Yet, beneath their feet, deep within the Earth's restless core, something ominous was brewing. The tectonic plates that underpinned the entire city were locked in a struggle that had been building...