Earthquake from Above

The little village, perched on the lip of a river gorge, was a bright little place with a steepled church and red-roofed houses. Because such surrounding peaks as snowcapped Karwarasu act as sounding boards for the hot springs that gurgle intermittently in the neighborhood, the Incas had named the village Sondondo--"the place that beats like a heart."

One day last week, Sondondo's beat was lost in a steady roar. After days of steady downpour, the river had flooded the gorge. Said Sondondinos, peering up at the lowering sky: "Apu Karwarasu is mad."

Late that night, a deafening roar awakened the village. All knew it was an ayapana (avalanche), which to the Indians meant "an earthquake from above." Tons of mountain mud, loosed by the rain, poured over Sondondo. At daybreak, survivors saw only rock-studded earth where once 30 trim houses had stood. At least 70 people were missing.

It took four days for trucks to bring help over the narrow road which is Sondondo's only link to the world outside. Government agents took one look, decided that it was useless to try to recover the dead. Instead, they suggested that the Sondondinos leave their ancient home for a safer place. Scoffed one old survivor: "These men from the coast make me laugh. They talk as if this were our first ayapana. We have had them since God knows when."

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