North region records biggest earthquake in Brazilian history

The North Region recorded, this Saturday (20), the biggest earthquake in the history of Brazil. With 6.6 degrees on the Richter Scale, according to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 6:31 pm Brasília time, 4:31 pm local time.

Although the United States Geological Survey reports that the earthquake occurred in Tarauacá, Acre, the exact coordinates of the tremor point to an isolated area in Ipixuna, Amazonas.

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So far, there is no record of damage. This is because the earthquake occurred at a depth of 614.5 kilometers, which allows the energy to dissipate. According to geologists, a tremor at this depth is unlikely to be felt by the population.

On June 7, 2022, Tarauacá, in the northwest of Acre, had registered an earthquake of 6.5 degrees, the second largest tremor in the country's history. At the time, the earthquake left no victims or material damage.

The tremors occur because the region is close to the Andes Mountains, one of the most seismically active areas on the planet. In the last 45 years, there have been around 96 earthquakes within a 250-kilometer radius of Tarauacá, according to the United States Geological Survey, none with serious consequences.

So far, neither the government of Acre nor the city of Tarauacá have responded. Before the occurrences in the municipality of Acri, the largest earthquake in the history of Brazil had been recorded in the Serra do Tombador region, in Mato Grosso, on January 31, 1955, with 6.2 degrees on the Richter Scale.

*Text updated to add information about the location of the tremor