Reconstruction Process and Social Issues After the 1746 Earthquake and Tsunami in Peru: Past and Present Challenges After Tsunami Events - Post-Tsunami Hazard: Reconstruction and Restoration - page 96

7.1 Introduction

Tsunami events result from the displacement of a large volume of water in a
short time due to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, submarine landslides or
meteorite impacts. Tsunamis, although rare, have been widely portrayed in the
worldwide media since the beginning of the twenty-fi rst century due to a recur-
rence of megathrust earthquakes. Historical evidence of tsunamis dates to more
than 2,000 years ago in China (Cartwright and Nakamura 2008 ; Qinghai and
Adams 1986 ). Tsunamis are therefore not a new type of disaster for human soci-
eties. The conditions of human society, however—such as the degree of urban-
ization, technological capabilities and dominant economic systems—have
changed with time; thus, it would seem likely that the post-disaster activities of
an earlier era would no longer be relevant to authorities responding to a contem-
porary tsunami event.
Peru's capital city, Lima, and the nearby coastal province of Callao suffered one
of the greatest earthquakes in their history on October 28, 1746. With an estimated
magnitude of between Mw8.6 (Dorbath et al. 1990 ) and Mw9.0 (Jimenez et al.
2013 ), the 1746 Lima-Callao earthquake was comparable to the region's previous
great earthquake—which struck on October 20, 1687, with a magnitude of
Mw8.4-8.7 (Perez-Mallaina 2005 )—and is classifi ed as a uniquely destructive
event in local history.
Although there are no extant details regarding housing damage to verify the his-
torical testimonials, the number of casualties was estimated at 5,000 in 1687 and
at 5,941 1 in 1746. Reports claim that during the 1746 event, 1,141 people were
killed in Lima alone. In the Port of Callao, where only 221 out of the 5,000 inhabitants
survived, it was easier to count survivors than victims (Kuroiwa Horiuchi 2004 ;
Perez-Mallaina 2005 ).
It is important to revisit these events, not only from a geophysical perspective but
also in consideration of their societal impact, and to understand the subsequent
reconstruction efforts undertaken by a devastated city. Such a historical analysis
helps us understand how communities struggle to live in harmony with nature and
how the people of different eras have coped with disasters.
Our objective in this paper is to present the historical accounts of this historical
disaster and to discuss the similarities and differences between this important
historical event and particular modern experiences of disasters. It is crucial that
we bring the historical record to bear upon the present and contrast the societies
of the past with contemporary at-risk communities to apply the lessons of our
forebears to enhance the resilience of present-day communities.

1 Other documents report a total of 11,000 people killed in Lima and Callao (Lozano 1748;
Odriozola 1863 ).