The region is influenced by the shock of the Nazca and South American plaques, plus several geological faults that cause minor earthquakes.
Each year, the Nazca plaque moves over the South American plaque between eight to ten centimeters. Then the earthquakes occur. The higher the largest magnitude will be the earthquake.
The incredible amount of earthquakes caused by the volcano Nevado Del Ruiz have remained alert to Colombia. According to official media reports, the aforementioned volcano tremors caused about 3,200 between May and June.
In mid-June a strong earthquake rocked Ecuador and was felt in several cities of Ambato, Guayaquil, Riobamba, Latacunga, the Puyo, Portoviejo and Milagro. According to the latest report of the Geophysical Institute (IG -in spanish-), the quake was of magnitude 4.6 degrees on the Richter scale.The epicenter was located in the northwestern part of Sagoatoa hill, 20 km southwest of Pujili and 31 km northwest of Pillaro, 12 km deep.
Also in the month of June an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 shook southern Peru, with an epicenter 119 kilometers (74 miles) ESE (298 °) from Arequipa, Peru and 648 km (402 miles) SE (131 °) in Lima , Peru. The Peru earthquake occurred at a depth of 99.7 km (62.0 miles).
In Bolivia, the San Calixto Observatory director (OSC -in spanish-), Estela Minaya, reported that since January there were 120 earthquakes greater than three degrees of magnitude on Richter scale, there are figures showing an increase in seismic in this country associated with the sudden release energy in the inner surface of the earth.
In May 2012 in La Asunción (Paraguay) an earthquake of 3 degrees, which was an extension of the 6.4 earthquake in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, alerted the population to the shock.
A strong earthquake of magnitude of 5 shook the region of Maule, Chile, but there were no reports of damage, said the country offices of national emergency from Andean neighbors. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck 102 kilometers (63 miles) from the Maule and 282 km (175 miles) from Santiago de Chile.
The quake was followed by a replica of magnitude 4.7 in Coquimbo, Chile. According to experts, the causes of earthquakes in Chile are different processes that occur in Bolivia and Peru. “The process of Chile is due to the action between the two plates, the South American and Continental, a move in the opposite direction to the other, with high and low speed”.
This has created a permanent alert in the region. The affected countries monitored on this constant seismic activity and through a network – which includes 120 monitoring stations – distributed in the regions affected countries also exchange information about events registered in order to analyze its nature.
Gustavo Carrasquel | ANCA24
ANCA24 Canada 