Peru Andes Christ stature atop the cemetery in the town of Yungay situated in the calleyon de Huaylas cordillera blanca
In May 1970 an earthquake struck Peru The epicenter was 50kms off to the west in the Pacific ocean The shock waves travelled inland to the region of Chimbote 420kms north of the capital and beyond into the high Andes destroying many small villages in its path Among the more tragic consequences of this action was to strike the highest mountain in Peru Huascaran and cause a calving of rock from its side which went down the west face to Lake Llanganuco. In liquid form with water from the lake this vast avalanche continued downhill gathering everything in its way sweeping through and totally destroying settlements farms villages and towns among which directly in its path was Yungay which lost about 20000 of its inhabitants The entire original site has been consecrated as a cemetery and monument and a new town has been built north of the area The stature of Christ at the original cemetery on a hill still overlooks what is now known as Old Yungay
Size: 4002px × 5305px
Photo credit: © peruvianpictures.com / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1970, america, avalanche, boulders, catholic, christian, destruction, earthquake, farms, graveyard, huascaran, landslide, monument, mountains, mudslide, relig, religeous, religion, rocks, settlements, sierra, south, stature, trees, vertical, villages
