Historical tsunamis in the Concepcion bay, as seen in the reconstructed flood levels from the colonial city of Concepcion (Penco), Chile (1570-1835)

Abstract

This paper uses historical data from letters, reports, and contemporary court cases to reconstruct historical tsunami flooding levels in the colonial city of Concepcion, Chile. Individual flood levels are analyzed for the 1570, 1575, 1657, 1730, 1733, 1751, and 1835 tsunamis. These individual reports allow
for clear size comparisons between themselves and a realistic contrast with the recent 2010 Maule earthquake that generated a tsunami in the Concepcion Bay.