Tremendous amounts of energy is stored and released periodically. This periodic release of energy creates great earthquakes, but these large earthquakes do not occur often. Additionally, there are pull-apart faults at the surface of the Nazca plate where it is bending which cause frequent low magnitude earthquakes. The quake registered at 6.0 on the Richter scale and left behind millions of dollars worth of damage to homes and businesses. Because of poor construction of buildings, nearly a thousand lives were lost.
Survivors mourn over their lost loved ones.