Pisco, Peru, Earthquake of August 15, 2007 Lifeline Performance

Prepared by the Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering of ASCE and the Japan Society of Civil Engineers On August 15, 2007, at 6:40 p.m. local time, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake occurred off the coast of southern Peru, about 145 km from Lima. More than 4,500 aftershocks had been registered as of August 30, 2007, 30 of them had Modified Mercalli Intensity between 3 and 5. The social and economic impact of the earthquake was significant--519 people died and more than 1,300 were injured. Tens of thousands of homes, churches, schools, and hospitals collapsed or were damaged. The estimated economic losses, including to lifeline infrastructure, were about US$300 million. The hardest hit cities were Pisco, Chincha Alta, Cañete, and Ica. Damage was also observed in Yuayos, Huaytara, and Castrovirreyna. This TCLEE Monograph discusses in detail the effects of this earthquake on lifeline systems: electric power, communication, water and wastewater, highways, ports, gas and fuel tanks, and emergency response. Lifeline systems within hospitals and educational institutions are also discussed. Most lifeline chapters start with an overview of the system performance, followed by sections that describe the system, its damage, emergency response, and recovery. Each chapter finishes with conclusions and recommendations.