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Cayma Arequipa (308.3 km E of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s
Relave Ayacucho Perú / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s
Huacachina / Moderate shaking (MMI V)
Strong mag. 6.0 earthquake - South Pacific Ocean, 117 km southeast of San Juan de Marcona, Peru, on Sunday, Dec 27, 2020 at 2:11 am (GMT -5)
Overview | Quake Data | Interactive map | User Reports | Aftershocks | Earlier quakes here | Quakes in Peru | Arequipa | Region Ica | Ayacucho | Lima
Strong magnitude 6.0 earthquake at 41 km depth
27 Dec 07:17 UTC: First to report: GFZ after 7 minutes.
27 Dec 07:55: Magnitude recalculated from 5.5 to 5.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 10.0 to 40.0 km (from 6.2 to 25 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 3.1 km (1.9 mi) towards SW.
28 Dec 16:45: Now using data updates from IGP
27 Dec 07:55: Magnitude recalculated from 5.5 to 5.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 10.0 to 40.0 km (from 6.2 to 25 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 3.1 km (1.9 mi) towards SW.
28 Dec 16:45: Now using data updates from IGP
Update Sun, 27 Dec 2020, 07:21
Significant earthquake of magnitude 5.5 just reported 116 km southeast of San Juan de Marcona, Peru5.5 quake 27 Dec 2:11 am (GMT -5)
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake near San Juan de Marcona, Provincia de Nazca, Ica, Peru, was reported only 10 minutes ago by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), considered one of the key international agencies that monitor seismic activity worldwide. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km beneath the epicenter early morning on Sunday 27 December 2020 at 2:11 am local time. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
A second report was later issued by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which listed it as a magnitude 5.5 earthquake as well.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicenter. It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc.
In Atico (pop. 200) located 74 km from the epicenter, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Coracora (pop. 7,400) located 114 km from the epicenter, San Juan de Marcona (pop. 12,800) 116 km away, Minas de Marcona (pop. 15,500) 123 km away, and Tambo (pop. 5,000) 133 km away.
VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you're in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.
A second report was later issued by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which listed it as a magnitude 5.5 earthquake as well.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicenter. It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc.
In Atico (pop. 200) located 74 km from the epicenter, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Coracora (pop. 7,400) located 114 km from the epicenter, San Juan de Marcona (pop. 12,800) 116 km away, Minas de Marcona (pop. 15,500) 123 km away, and Tambo (pop. 5,000) 133 km away.
VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you're in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.
Earthquake data
Earthquake details
| Date & time | Dec 27, 2020 07:11:09 UTC |
| Local time at epicenter | Sunday, Dec 27, 2020 at 2:11 am (GMT -5) |
| Status | Confirmed |
| Magnitude | 6 |
| Depth | 41.0 km |
| Epicenter latitude / longitude | 16.1402°S / 74.4222°W  (South Pacific Ocean, Peru) |
| Antipode | 16.14°N / 105.578°E |
| Shaking intensity | Moderate shaking |
| Felt | 3 reports |
| Primary data source | IGP |
| Nearest volcano | Sara Sara (114 km / 71 mi) |
| Nearby towns and cities | 39 km (24 mi) S of Atiquipa (pop: 137) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 82 km (51 mi) SSE of Acari (pop: 4,450) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 117 km (73 mi) SE of San Juan de Marcona (pop: 12,800) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 127 km (79 mi) SE of Minas de Marcona (Nazca) (pop: 15,500) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 141 km (88 mi) SSW of Coracora (Parinacochas) (pop: 7,420) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 156 km (97 mi) SSE of Nazca (pop: 23,600) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 158 km (98 mi) SSW of Tambo (Lucanas Province) (pop: 5,030) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 163 km (101 mi) S of Puquio (Provincia de Lucanas) (pop: 10,500) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 190 km (118 mi) WNW of Camana (Camaná) (pop: 16,400) | Show on map | Quakes nearby 535 km (333 mi) SSE of Lima (pop: 7,737,000) | Show on map | Quakes nearby |
| Estimated seismic energy released | 6.3 x 1013 joules (17.5 gigawatt hours, equivalent to 15080 tons of TNT or 0.9 atomic bombs!) | about seismic energy |
Data for the same earthquake reported by different agencies
Info: The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.
| Mag. | Depth | Location | Source |
| 6.0 | 41 km | 36 Km Al Sur-SO De Chala, Caravelí - Arequipa, Peru | IGP |
| 5.7 | 44 km | NEAR COAST OF SOUTHERN PERU | EMSC |
| 5.7 | 34 km | 26 Km S of Atiquipa, Peru | USGS |
| 5.7 | 52 km | Near Coast of Peru | GeoAu |
| 5.6 | 60 km | Near Coast of Peru | BMKG |
| 5.7 | 40 km | Near Coast of Peru | GFZ |
User reports for this quake (3)
User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale.
Aftershocks
[More info]
Recorded aftershocks, latest first (8 quakes)
Date and time | Mag Depth | Location | Details |
| May 31, 2021 09:31 1 year 11 weeks ago | 4.2 29 km | South Pacific Ocean, 159 km SE of Minas de Marcona, Peru | More |
| May 18, 2021 19:49 1 year 13 weeks ago | 4.2 36 km | South Pacific Ocean, 114 km SE of Minas de Marcona, Peru | More |
| Apr 15, 2021 10:05 1 year 18 weeks ago | 4.4 43 km | South Pacific Ocean, 75 km SE of Minas de Marcona, Peru | More |
| Mar 22, 2021 21:58 1 year 21 weeks ago | 4.3 68 km | South Pacific Ocean, 154 km SE of Nazca, Region Ica, Peru | More |
| Mar 16, 2021 05:39 1 year 22 weeks ago | 4.3 55 km | South Pacific Ocean, 96 km SE of Minas de Marcona, Peru | More |
| Jan 3, 2021 12:06 1 year 32 weeks ago | 3.9 61 km | South Pacific Ocean, 106 km SW of Coracora, Peru | More |
| Dec 31, 2020 00:10 1 year 33 weeks ago | 4.0 44 km | South Pacific Ocean, 114 km SE of San Juan de Marcona, Peru | More |
| Dec 29, 2020 08:20 1 year 33 weeks ago | 4.0 37 km | South Pacific Ocean, 116 km SE of San Juan de Marcona, Peru | More |
Earlier earthquakes in the same area
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