In 1822, the Valparaiso earthquake in Chile caused massive destruction, killing or injuring around 500 people and prompting a tsunami. Maria Graham, an on-the-spot eye-witness, described the aftermath of the earthquake, including the lifting of a 100-mile stretch of coast several feet above its former level. This earthquake sparked a controversial debate between Neptunists and Plutonists in the field of geology. The Neptunists believed that the earth had originally been made of water, while the Plutonists emphasized the role of volcanic activity. Maria Graham, a woman and outsider, entered this debate and faced criticism from George Bellas Greenough, the founder of the Geological Society. Charles Lyell, a rival of Greenough, used Graham’s report to support his own Plutonist beliefs. Despite the controversy, Graham was eventually vindicated when another earthquake permanently raised the land in the area.
https://www.historytoday.com/archive/great-debates/maria-graham-and-valparaiso-earthquake