1944 San Juan earthquake | |
|---|---|
| Total costs | N/A |
| Deaths | 10000 |
The 1944 San Juan earthquake took place in the province of San Juan, in the center-west area of Argentina, a region highly prone to seismic events. This moderate to strong earthquake (estimated moment magnitudes range from 6.7 to 7.8) destroyed a large part of San Juan, the provincial capital, and killed 10,000 of its inhabitants, 10% of its population at the time. One third of the province population became homeless. It is acknowledged as the worst natural disaster in Argentine history. The earthquake occurred at 8:52 pm on 15 January 1944 and had its epicenter located 30 km north of the provincial capital, near La Laja in Albardón Department. Some 90% of the buildings in the city were destroyed and those left standing suffered such damage that in most cases they had to be demolished. It is considered that the reason for such widespread destruction was the low quality of construction, rather than just the power of the earthquake. In 1944 many of San Juan's houses were made of adobe and the reconstruction programme prompted the creation of a building code that took into account contemporary knowledge of earthquakes and their effect on buildings. Stronger bricks were used, concrete single-story houses were erected and sidewalks and streets were made wider.
Source: Wikipedia 1985 Nevado del Ruiz | |
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| Total costs | N/A |
| Deaths | 23000 |
The Spanish surname Ruiz originates from the Germanic personal name 'Hrodric' which is composed of the elements 'Hrōd', meaning 'renown', and 'rīc', meaning 'power(ful)', thus 'famous ruler'. Ruiz is a patronymic from the personal name Ruy, a short form of Rodrigo, meaning 'son of Roderick'. Its roots can be traced back to the Visigoths, the Germanic tribe which ruled in the Iberian Peninsula between the 5th and 8th centuries.
Source: Wikipedia
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