July 20, 2021, 4:18 am | Read time: 4 minutes
In 1970, an earthquake in Peru caused a disaster of terrible magnitude. The city of Yungay was buried by a subsequent rockslide from the country’s highest mountain. Yet amid the catastrophe, a miracle also occurred.
It is May 31, 1970, and the small town of Yungay, like the entire country, is in a state of excitement. In just two days, the Peruvian national soccer team would make its long-awaited debut at the World Cup in Mexico. A wedding took place in the church that morning, and now most of Yungay’s residents are sitting down to eat. They have no inkling of the disaster that will claim most of their lives.
According to the Peruvian news agency “Andina,” hell broke loose over Peru at 3:25 p.m. when an earthquake with a magnitude of seven on the Richter scale occurred. The earth shook for 45 seconds, and then the danger seemed to be over. But the true apocalypse for the people of Yungay was yet to come. Just minutes after everything seemed to have calmed down, a deafening noise suddenly arose.
Also interesting: Sale of tickets for Machu Picchu now allowed on-site
A Monster of Ice and Debris
This came from the northern peak of Huascarán, Peru’s highest mountain, under whose shadow Yungay lies. A massive piece of ice broke off its flank, weighing 50,000 tons according to the Spanish newspaper “El Mundo.” An unimaginable block, 800 meters wide and 1,000 meters long. And this monster now raced into the valley, directly toward Yungay, at a speed of more than 200 km/h.
Also interesting: Plymouth: the Pompeii of the Caribbean
Stones, trees, ice–everything in the path of this avalanche was inevitably swept away, and the town of Yungay was literally buried by the incredible force of nature just seconds later. The city and a large portion of its once 20,000 inhabitants ended up 20 meters deep under the earth. This also earned Yungay its grim nickname: Ciudad Sepultada. The buried city.
The Tragic and Beautiful Story of This Church Ruin in Mexico
Anyone who spends more than an hour at Lake Karachay will die!
A Miracle Amid the Catastrophe
Yet amid the inferno, a miracle occurred. Hundreds of children survived because they were attending a performance by the Verolina Circus at the time of the disaster. The circus was set up on a hill above Yungay, which the avalanche did not reach. From there, the children had to helplessly watch as their homes and families were wiped out within seconds. Those who were at the cemetery, also located on higher ground, survived as well. In total, a few hundred of the former approximately 20,000 residents of Yungay survived.
For the survivors, the ordeal was far from over, as they had to wait for days for help. All roads to Yungay were buried. The dust and ash cloud created by the destruction was kilometers high, making rescue by helicopter impossible for a long time. Across the country, a total of 70,000 people lost their lives due to the earthquake, and help was needed in other places as well.
The “Orphans of Yungay”
Most of the rescued children were left alone, having lost their entire families. They became known as the “Orphans of Yungay,” and their plight touched hearts around the world. As a result, people from all over the globe adopted the children, giving them a chance to start new lives, often far from Yungay and the memories of the disaster.
Also interesting: Plymouth: the Pompeii of the Caribbean
Today, there is a place with the same name, but it is called Yungay. It is said that the town was rebuilt with money stolen from the victims by looters. Even though the apocalypse happened more than 50 years ago, everyone in Peru knows the name Yungay.