The 1979 Tumaco earthquake occurred at 02:59 local time (07:59 UTC) on 12 December.[2] It had a magnitude of 8.2 on the Moment magnitude scale and a maximum perceived intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale. The epicenter was just offshore from the border between Ecuador and Colombia, near the port city of Tumaco. It triggered a major tsunami, which was responsible for most of the estimated 600 deaths. The hardest hit area was Colombia's Nariño Department.[2]