I live on the fourth floor of a reasonably solid building in Tarapoto, Peru. My top-floor location gives me great views across the city to the hills beyond, while also providing a much-needed breeze in the heat of the high jungle.
When Tarapoto gets the seismic shakes, however, I find myself staring at my slightly swaying walls as my writing desk judders from side to side. There have been a few minor tremors in the last couple of weeks (the last about an hour ago), nothing serious but enough to prompt comments from my ground-level neighbors regarding my elevated location.
With these tremors in the back of my mind, I decided to write a couple of articles. The first, Earthquakes in Peru, is an overview (including the history, distribution and management of earthquakes in Peru), while the second is a short article about earthquake safe zones.
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Photo © Tony Dunnell (taken while crossing the aftermath of an earthquake near Bagua in Northern Peru, May 2010)