Nepal tragedy revives memories of Peru's devastating Yungay landslide

The recent glacial disaster in Nepal has drawn parallels to one of Peru's most catastrophic events: the 1970 destruction of Yungay. Social media and discussions about glacial disasters have brought renewed attention to the tragic events of May 31, 1970.

On that day, a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Peru, destabilizing the western edge of Mount Huascarán's north peak. This seismic event caused a colossal mass of ice and rock, estimated to be 800 meters wide, to detach from the mountain. The debris plunged nearly 900 meters before impacting lower glacial areas and continuing its devastating descent into the valley.

Initial estimates suggest the volume of the initial slide was between 15 and 20 million cubic meters. However, as the mass incorporated water, moraine, and sediment during its rapid journey, the final flow is believed to have exceeded 50 million cubic meters. Traveling approximately 16 kilometers in just three to four minutes, the avalanche reached extreme speeds, estimated between 280 and 400 km/h, descending over 3,000 meters in altitude.

Yungay, an ancient city in the Ancash region, was completely buried under a thick layer of mud, rocks, and debris. It is estimated that around 20,000 people perished in the immediate vicinity of the city. Some survivors were those who managed to reach higher ground, such as the cemetery located on an ancient huaca (pre-Columbian shrine).

While the recent events in Nepal involved ice, rock, and highly mobile flows, similar to the Yungay disaster, the specific conditions and triggers differed. Nevertheless, the sheer scale and destructive power of the 1970 Yungay avalanche cemented its place as one of the most devastating episodes in Peru's modern history, a memory now resurfacing due to the tragedy in Nepal.