Chile's 1960 Earthquake: A Lake on the Brink of Catastrophe

Valdivia Earthquake of 1960: Riñihue Lake's Near Catastrophe The 1960 Valdivia earthquake, one of the most powerful ever recorded, caused devastation across Chile. Less known is the near-disaster at Riñihue Lake. Landslides triggered by the quake blocked the Rio San Pedro, the lake's natural drainage. This caused a rapid rise in water levels, threatening catastrophic flooding. "Three massive landslides occurred," explains Cristóbal García-Huidobro, a professor featured in a recent La Metro radio segment. "They moved the slopes of Cerro Tralkan, effectively plugging the river." The resulting dams reached heights of 24 meters, trapping enormous volumes of water. The potential for a devastating flood was immense, with García-Huidobro noting that "4800 million cubic meters of water with flow rates exceeding 30,000 cubic meters per second were at risk." Fortunately, the lake did not overflow. The event, however, serves as a stark reminder of the earthquake's power and the geological forces at play. The story highlights the resilience of the region and the importance of understanding the risks of such events. The near-catastrophe also underscores the devastating impact of similar events in the past, with over 1000 indigenous people losing their lives in a similar incident in 1575.