1967 Neiva earthquake

The 1967 Neiva earthquake occurred at 10:24 local time (UTC-05) on February 9 in Colombia. The epicentre of the earthquake was located in San Vicente del Caguán in the department of Caquetá. The earthquake, associated with the Algeciras Fault, part of the megaregional Eastern Frontal Fault System, had a moment magnitude of 7.0 and an intensity of VIII and was felt in northwestern South America from Caracas to Iquitos and Buenaventura to Mitú. 350 aftershocks were registered in the following month. The earthquake produced 98 fatalities and approximately 600,000 USD in damage.

1967 Neiva earthquake

ShakeMap for the 1967 Neiva earthquake
UTC time	1967-02-09 15:24:49
ISC event	838623
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	February 9, 1967
Local time	10:24:49
Magnitude	7.0 Mw, 6.8 ML
Depth	55.0 km (34 mi)
Epicenter	02°50′56.4″N 74°47′52.8″W
Fault	Algeciras
Areas affected	Huila, Tolima, Bogotá
Total damage	600,000 USD
Max. intensity	VIII
Tsunami	No
Aftershocks	350
Casualties	98

Description

While the earthquake is commonly referred to as the Neiva earthquake, the epicentre was not located in Neiva as first reported,[1] or Algeciras as later reports state,[2] yet in San Vicente del Caguán in northern Caquetá.[3] The earthquake had a moment magnitude of 7.0 and an intensity of VIII.[4] The earthquake was felt from Caracas in Venezuela in the north to Iquitos in Peru in the south and from Buenaventura in southwestern Colombia in the west to Mitú, at the border with Brazil in the east.[5] In the three days after the earthquake twenty aftershocks were felt and the seismological observation centre of Bogotá registered 350 aftershocks in the next month.[3]

Activity of the Algeciras Fault, a dextral strike-slip fault and segment of the megaregional Eastern Frontal Fault System that forms the boundary between the North Andes and South American Plates,[6] is associated with the earthquake. The earthquake was manifested surface rupturing or cracking in the vicinity of El Paraíso, which is situated on the fault trace northeast of Algeciras.[7]

Damage

The areas of Colombia, El Paraíso and Vegalarga were destroyed by the earthquake and Neiva and other populated areas in the north of Huila and south of Tolima notably affected.[8] In Neiva, 15 fatalities were counted and 100,000 people affected.[5] Part of the church of Neiva collapsed. In the Colombian capital Bogotá, the tower of the San Juan de Dios Church collapsed as well as at least fifty walls as a result of the earthquake.[3] A total damage of 600,000 USD was estimated as a result of the earthquake,[9] of which 130,000,000 pesos in Huila alone.[10]

See also

• List of earthquakes in Colombia
• 2008 El Calvario earthquake

References

1. Velandia et al., 2005, p.320
2. Various authors, 2014, p.9
3. Bohórquez & Alfaro, 2008, p.43
4. USGS. "M 7.0 - Colombia". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
5. Bohórquez & Alfaro, 2008, p.42
6. Paris et al., 2000b
7. Paris et al., 2000a, p.43
8. Velandia et al., 2001, p.124
9. NGDC. "Comments for the 1967 Earthquake". NGDC. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
10. Ramírez, 1975, p.203

Bibliography

• Bohórquez Fierro, Mónica Andrea, and Andrés José Alfaro Castillo. 2008. Análisis probabilístico de la amenaza sísmica de Neiva-Colombia. 40 años del macrosismo del Huila (1967–2007). Revista Épsilon 11. 41–48. Accessed 2017-10-06.
• Paris, Gabriel; Michael N. Machette; Richard L. Dart, and Kathleen M. Haller. 2000a. Map and Database of Quaternary Faults and Folds in Colombia and its Offshore Regions, 1–66. USGS. Accessed 2017-09-18.
• Paris, Gabriel; Michael N. Machette; Richard L. Dart, and Kathleen M. Haller. 2000b. Map of Quaternary Faults and Folds of Colombia and Its Offshore Regions, 1. USGS. Accessed 2017-09-18.
• Ramírez, Jesús Emilio. 1975. Historia de los terremotos en Colombia, 1–250. Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi.
• Various, Authors. 2014. Enciclopedia de desastres naturales históricos de Colombia, 1–21. Universidad del Quindío. Accessed 2017-09-18.
• Velandia P., Francisco; Jorge Acosta; Roberto Terraza, and Henry Villegas. 2005. The current tectonic motion of the Northern Andes along the Algeciras Fault System in SW Colombia. Tectonophysics 399. 313–329. Accessed 2017-10-06.
• Velandia P., Francisco; Alberto Núñez T., and Germán Marquínez. 2001. Mapa Geológico del Departamento del Huila - 1:300,000 - Memoria explicativa, 1–150. INGEOMINAS.