Punitaqui

Punitaqui is a town and commune of Chile in the Limarí Province.

History

Punitaqui was once part of the Ovalle Department before the administrative restructuring of 1976.

1997 earthquake

On October 15, 1997 the town was nearly demolished by an estimated 7.1 M earthquake. Damage ranged from as far north as the Antofagasta Region to the southern Araucanía Region. Both Santiago and Valparaíso Region lost telephone service and radio transmissions. The quake left 8 people dead, 360 injured and 59,913 homeless, concentrating most of those in the provinces of Elqui and Limarí.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census by the National Statistics Institute, the commune covers an area of with a population of 9,539 inhabitants (4,791 male and 4,748 female). The population grew 9.4% (816 persons) between 1992 and 2002. There are 3,615 inhabitants in urban areas and 5,924 in rural areas.

External links

• Municipality of Punitaqui