Landslides, rockfall, and fear in La Rioja: surprising images and videos of the powerful earthquake

A strong earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale shook the province of La Rioja on Thursday, generating fear among residents, causing collapses in adobe homes , landslides in mountainous areas, and power outages in some towns.

The seismic event occurred at 1:04 p.m., being the third earthquake of the day, after two previous tremors of lesser intensity recorded in the morning. According to the National Institute for Seismic Prevention (INPRES) , the epicenter was located 108 kilometers northwest of the city of La Rioja , 37 km north of Famatina , and 167 km west of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca .

Speaking to the program Hablemos de esto (TN), Famatina Mayor Adriana Oliva described the impact of the earthquake on her community:

"The first tremors were mild, normal. The last one was terrible; the noise was overwhelming. It felt like the house was falling on you," he said.

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Oliva also detailed that in his town there were landslides on the hill and cracks in old churches :

"You couldn't tell, when you stood in the yard, whether the shaking was the earthquake itself or the sound of the mountain range collapsing . It was felt more in the northern area, closer to the mountain," he said.

Regarding material damage, he confirmed that several adobe houses collapsed :

"In other towns, there were collapses in adobe houses. We're thankful no one lived there; they were used as storage. They all collapsed," he added.

He also mentioned that centuries-old churches suffered structural cracks, but so far no fatalities have been reported .

Earthquake in La Rioja.jpg

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The seismic sequence began mid-morning. The first quake was at 11:47 a.m. , with a magnitude of 2.7 and a depth of 117 kilometers . The second, at 11:54 a.m. , had a magnitude of 2.8 and a depth of 129 kilometers . Finally, the strongest quake occurred at 1:04 p.m. , with landslides and power outages in several areas.

Social media users shared shocking videos of the earthquake , showing falling rocks, cracked walls, and entire houses shaking .

The phenomenon was also felt in neighboring provinces , although no serious impact has been reported so far. Local authorities and Civil Defense remain on alert for the possibility of aftershocks.