1970 Ancash earthquake

Historical eventMay 311970

1970 Ancash earthquake

The 7.9 Mw Ancash earthquake shakes Peru with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe) and a landslide buries the town of Yungay, Peru. Between 66,794 and 70,000 were killed and 50,000 were injured.

Everything on May 31Original source

In context

When
Sunday, May 31 197056 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1970s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1970.

What happened

The 7.9 Mw Ancash earthquake shakes Peru with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe) and a landslide buries the town of Yungay, Peru. Between 66,794 and 70,000 were killed and 50,000 were injured.

May 31 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 19701970 Ancash earthquake
  2. 2008Space Shuttle Discovery
  3. 2008Usain Bolt
  4. 2009George Tiller
  5. 2010Shayetet 13
  6. 20132013 El Reno tornado
  7. 2013Asteroid
  8. 2016Syrian civil war
  9. 2017May 2017 Kabul bombing
  10. 20192019 Virginia Beach shooting
  11. 20262026 Namhkam Township explosion

Also in 1970

  • May 11Lubbock, TexasLubbock, Texas, was struck by a tornado that left 26 people dead.
  • September 9Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestineA British airliner is hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and flown to Dawson's Field in Jordan.
  • September 17AmmanThe Jordanian army entered Amman as part of operations to oust Palestinian fedayeen from the country in events later known as Black Septe…
  • September 51970 Italian Grand PrixDuring the practice session of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza Circuit, Jochen Rindt was killed and subsequently became motor racing's on…
  • September 5Vietnam WarVietnam War: Operation Jefferson Glenn begins: The United States 101st Airborne Division and the South Vietnamese 1st Infantry Division i…
  • November 17Vietnam WarVietnam War: Lieutenant William Calley goes on trial for the My Lai Massacre.
  • November 17Luna programmeLuna programme: The Soviet Union lands Lunokhod 1 on Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains) on the Moon. This is the first roving remote-controlled…
  • November 5Military Assistance Command, VietnamThe Military Assistance Command, Vietnam reports the lowest weekly American soldier death toll in five years (24).

Everything we record for 1970 →

Sources

Cite this page

“1970 Ancash earthquake”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/1970-ancash-earthquake-1970-may-31, accessed October 25, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did 1970 Ancash earthquake happen?

May 31 1970 — 56 years ago, on a Sunday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.