Campo Santo represents the site of the original town of Yungay, which was destroyed on 31 May 1970 when an earthquake had triggered a rock-ice fall from the N summit of Nevado Huascarán. This fall evolved into a debris avalanche that jumped over a hill and almost completely covered the town. Those palm trees with white-coloured stems date back to before 1970: they survived the event. The piece of brickwork in the foreground is part of the former church.