21 km SE of Huacho, Peru

A magnitude 8.2 earthquake — a great event — struck near 21 km SE of Huacho, Peru on May 24, 1940, at a shallow depth of about 45 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. Shallow magnitude 8.2 events near a coastline can also pose a tsunami risk. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.