Ranrahirca was a village in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

, alongside the river Santa, near

Huascarán Huascarán () (Quechua: Waskaran), Nevado Huascarán or Mataraju is a mountain in the Peruvian province of Yungay ( Ancash Department), situated in the Cordillera Blanca range of the western Andes. The southern summit of Huascarán (Huascará ...

, the highest mountain in Peru. It was hit by massive avalanches of snow, rocks and mud, originating on the slopes of Huascarán and triggered by

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...

s on 10 January 1962 and on 31 May 1970. Over two thousand people from the village perished in the 1962 avalanche, along with the inhabitants of seven nearby settlements. In total about 3,500 died in the disaster. About 20,000 people died in the avalanches that resulted from the second earthquake (known as the 1970 Ancash earthquake).400 survived from the second disaster.BBC on this day
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References

BBC News "On this day" website

External links

Earthquake of 31 May 1970 *

(chimboteonline) *

(yungayperu.com, with details and fotos of the catastrophe) {{coord, 9, 10, S, 77, 43, W, display=title, region:PE_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki Populated places in the Ancash Region Destroyed populated places Landslides in Peru Landslides in 1962 Landslides in 1970 1962 disasters in Peru 1970 disasters in Peru January 1962 events in South America May 1970 events in South America

See also

References

External links