Earthquakes in Chile

As a Child, I remember the many times people became scared as soon as they felt few tremors. It even became a way to tease one another during family reunions by shaking the sofa to see if anyone started to run. I do not think this was the case in August of 1868.

Can you imagine yourself getting everything ready for Supper and a eathquake  and a tsunami hit your area? Well, it is what happened in August13,1868 with the earthquake that was felt between Guayaquil and Valparaíso in the north of Chile, following next a Tsunami which affected all the Pacific Coast and most of the Oceania. Arica, which was then part of Peru, was the city which received the greatest impact. There were over three hundred dead and destruction caused by the earthquake and fire.To top it all the Tsunami followed the earthquake with its 18 meters in altitud leaving behind dead bodies, boats and ships along the coast. This occured first by the seas retreaving living the coast dry and the ships like the American ship Wateree touching the bottom of the sea. Then the big wave came along taking the ship, along with other ships like the  Fredonia, el America, el Chañarcillo and the Regalón inland some to be destroyed. The Tsunami did not stop here! It went South and in Talcahuano the waves are said to have reached 5 meters living the Rocuant Island completely sumerged. Two days later, the tsunami arrived to the coast of  Australia and New Zealand.