List of earthquakes in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Last updated

Map showing the epicenters of all the magnitude 5 and greater earthquakes in the eastern region of the Caribbean for the last 100 years. Filled circle color indicates depth and circle size indicates magnitude. The five biggest, most destructive, earthquakes of the last 250 years with magnitudes of 7 and greater are shown by stars. PRtrenchlocation.jpg
Map showing the epicenters of all the magnitude 5 and greater earthquakes in the eastern region of the Caribbean for the last 100 years. Filled circle color indicates depth and circle size indicates magnitude. The five biggest, most destructive, earthquakes of the last 250 years with magnitudes of 7 and greater are shown by stars.

Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands lie at the boundary between the Caribbean and North American plates, making these territories prone to earthquakes. [1] This is a highly active seismic region both surrounded and traversed by numerous faults; to the north, the North American plate subducts beneath the Caribbean plate, while a number of strike-slip faults cross the main island of Puerto Rico diagonally from southeast to northwest. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are also located on a microplate that is continuously being deformed by the subduction zone to the north. Puerto Rico is constantly at risk of experiencing major earthquakes, greater than 7.0. [2]

Contents

History

Map showing epicenters of M>=5 earthquakes up to February 4, 2020, in the 2019-2020 Puerto Rico swarm sequence of earthquakes. Puerto Rico 2019 2020.png
Map showing epicenters of M≥5 earthquakes up to February 4, 2020, in the 2019–2020 Puerto Rico swarm sequence of earthquakes.

The region has been seismically active since ancient times. The Great Northern and Great Southern fault zones that cross the main island of Puerto Rico laterally have been active since the Eocene epoch. Earthquakes in the region have been recorded since the early 17th century and some of the first seismic activity in the Americas were recorded first in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. One of the first recorded earthquakes in the region was on September 8, 1615, which originated in the Dominican Republic region and caused damage throughout the island. [2] Earthquakes have been studied and recorded in Puerto Rico since the 20th century. The Puerto Rico Seismic Network (Red Sísmica de Puerto Rico or RSPR), which is contained within the department of Geology of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, was established in 1974 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the former Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA). It was established with the goal evaluating seismic features for the purpose of building nuclear power plants in the region. Its mission today is to detect, process and study seismic activity within the Puerto Rico region. The RSPR operates 25 seismometers throughout Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Two of these seismometers are owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. [3]

On average, there are about 5 earthquakes recorded per day and about 3 earthquakes with magnitude 5.0 higher recorded per year in the region. [4] Gliven that most of the active faults are located at sea, most earthquakes in the region do not cause loss of life or significant damage, and significant destructive earthquakes that occur in Puerto Rico are rare. Most large earthquakes have historically occurred at sea which makes the area susceptible to destructive tsunamis. The last tsunami to cause significant damage in Puerto Rico was on October 11, 1918 which was generated by the 1918 Aguadilla earthquake. There have been more recent tsunami events, such as in 1946, which did not cause significant damage to the island. The last earthquakes to cause loss of life were the 2020 southwestern Puerto Rico sequence of earthquakes which caused 4 deaths. The last earthquake to cause significant damage and loss of life in the Virgin Islands occurred in 1867; this earthquake generated a tsunami that affected the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Notable earthquakes in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

DateNameArea Mag. MMI DeathsInjuriesTotal damage / notes
1615-09-08Hispaniola Dominican Republic ––––One of the oldest recorded earthquakes in the Puerto Rico and Caribbean region. It affected Hispaniola and caused damage in Puerto Rico. [5] [2]
1670-08-15Puerto Rico Puerto Rico ––––Unknown epicenter, it caused damage in San Juan and San Germán, at the time the largest settlements in Puerto Rico. [2]
1717-08-30Puerto Rico Puerto Rico –VII––Unknown epicenter, it destroyed Ponce's cathedral. The fact that it did not cause significant damage in Yauco, San Germán and Lajas suggests it was a small event localized close to Ponce. [2]
1787-05-02 Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Trench *8.0–8.5IX––Possibly the strongest earthquake to have hit Puerto Rico since the European colonization. It was strongly felt throughout the island and major damage was reported everywhere except for in the south (although there were minor damage in colonial buildings in Ponce). It destroyed several government buildings, parts of El Morro and other fortifications and walls in San Juan, the cathedral and colonial buildings in Arecibo, and historical buildings in Bayamón, Mayagüez and Toa Baja.

*Contemporary research bestows the possibility that it was not a single 8.0 event but multiple earthquakes ranging from 6.4 to 7.3.

 [2] [6]
1844-04-16Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Trench –VIII––Major damage was recorded in Puerto Rico and Saint Thomas. It damaged most houses in San Juan. [2]
1851-02-22San Juan Puerto Rico Trench ––––It caused damage in San Juan's city hall. [2]
1855-12-14Salinas Puerto Rico –VI––Said to be the strongest earthquake to have hit Salinas since the town's founding where it caused minor localized damage. It was also felt in Aguas Buenas. [2]
1860-10-23Mayagüez Puerto Rico –VII––Felt strongly in Mayagüez where it caused damage. [2]
1865-05-12Saint Thomas Virgin Islands ––––Pair of strong earthquakes that hit the Virgin Islands and caused damage in Saint Thomas. [2]
1865-08-30Puerto Rico Puerto Rico –VI––Its epicenter was most likely located deep on land in the Central Mountain Ranges region of Puerto Rico. It caused damage in Ponce and Manatí. [2]
1867-11-18 Virgin Islands Virgin Islands 7.3IX40+–It produced a tsunami that affected the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. [2]
1868-03-17Virgin Islands Virgin Islands 6.5––– [2]
1874-08-26Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Trench –VI––It destroyed several houses and buildings in San Juan. [2]
1875-12-08Arecibo Puerto Rico Trench –VIII––It caused significant damage in Arecibo and was strongly felt in Ponce. [2]
1890-08-15Puerto Rico Puerto Rico ––––It was felt throughout the island and caused damage in Arecibo and Ponce. [2]
1906-09-27Puerto Rico Puerto Rico –VI––Felt strongly throughout Puerto Rico and as far as the Dominican Republic and Saint Thomas. Only damage in San Juan was reported, where it caused fissures in the cathedral walls. [2]
1906-10-20Puerto Rico Puerto Rico –VI––Felt throughout the island. Possibly an aftershock to the September 27 event. [2]
1908-08-04Puerto Rico Puerto Rico –VI––Pair of earthquakes felt throughout Puerto Rico. Damage was reported in Arecibo, Ponce, San Germán and Yauco. [2]
1909-02-17Virgin Islands Virgin Islands –VI––Felt in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Minor damage reported in Culebra and Saint Thomas. [2]
1918-10-11 Puerto Rico Mona Passage 7.1IX118–$4–29 million USD in damage. Damage and injuries were reported throughout the island. Several aftershocks were registered after the main shock, particularly a 6.5 aftershock that occurred the following year. [2]
1902-05-13Virgin Islands Virgin Islands –VI––Felt strongly in Saint Thomas. [2]
1920-02-10Aguadilla Mona Passage 6.4VI–– [7]
1943-07-29Puerto Rico Mona Passage 7.7VI––It was felt throughout Puerto Rico but no deaths or injuries were reported. Minor damage was reported throughout the island. [2]
1946-08-04 Dominican Republic Dominican Republic 8.1IX*2,550–Large earthquake centered in the Samaná Peninsula of the Dominican Republic.

*All deaths occurred in the Dominican Republic. No deaths or injuries was reported in Puerto Rico. Localized damaged was however reported throughout the island. A small tsunami was recorded in Mayagüez, Aguadilla and as far away in San Juan and even Daytona Beach, FL and Atlantic City, NJ. This is the largest earthquake to have hit the Caribbean region in the 20th century. It was followed by numerous aftershocks, the largest being 7.4 registered 4 days after the main shock.

 [2]
1966-11-03Punta Cana Mona Passage 6.0––– [7]
1970-07-08Saint Croix Virgin Islands 6.1IV–– [7]
1979-03-23Dominican Republic Mona Passage 6.1VI––Felt throughout the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Puerto Rico, and even as far away as Colombia. [7]
1981-08-24Puerto Rico Mona Passage 5.7–––Felt throughout the island. Light damage in Guayanilla. [7]
1988-11-03San Antonio Puerto Rico Trench 6.0IV–– [7]
2001-10-17Charlotte Amalie Virgin Islands 6.0IV–– Earthquake swarm. [7]
2008-10-11Charlotte Amalie Virgin Islands 6.1V––Felt in Puerto Rico, the US and British Virgin Islands. [7]
2010-05-16 Moca Puerto Rico 5.8VI––Felt throughout Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the US and British Islands. It is colloquially known as the 2010 Moca earthquake . It caused minor damage in the western and northwestern regions of Puerto Rico, and a minor landslide that affected a portion of PR-111. It is the largest Puerto Rican earthquake to have occurred on land in recent times. [7]
2010-12-24 Aguas Buenas Puerto Rico 5.1V––Felt throughout Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. It is colloquially known as the 2010 Aguas Buenas earthquake or the "2010 Nochebuena earthquake" (2010 Christmas Eve earthquake). It caused minor damage throughout the island and localized power outages throughout the Caguas and San Juan regions. It is the largest earthquake to directly hit the San Juan Metropolitan region in recent times. [7]
2011-12-17Stella Puerto Rico 5.2VI––Pair of earthquakes (5.2 and 5.1). [7]
2014-01-13Hatillo Puerto Rico Trench 6.4V––Felt throughout Puerto Rico. [7]
2019-03-12Jobos Puerto Rico 4.6V––Felt throughout Puerto Rico. Localized minor damage in Guayama. It was followed by several aftershocks including a 4.1 which was the largest. [7]
2019-09-24San Antonio Mona Passage 6.0V––Felt throughout Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It produced several aftershocks of which the September 26 one was the largest (5.1) and also resulted in minor localized damage. [7]
2019-12-28Maria Antonia Puerto Rico 4.7V––First notable temblor in the earthquake swarm sequence of shocks that affected the southwestern portion of Puerto Rico from December 2019 throughout 2020. [7]
2020-01-07 Puerto Rico Puerto Rico 6.4VIII49Strongest in the earthquake swarm sequence of shocks that affected the southwestern portion of Puerto Rico from December 2019 throughout 2020. It caused significant damage and power outages throughout the island. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American Plate</span> Large tectonic plate including most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia

The North American Plate is a tectonic plate containing most of North America, Cuba, the Bahamas, extreme northeastern Asia, and parts of Iceland and the Azores. With an area of 76 million km2 (29 million sq mi), it is the Earth's second largest tectonic plate, behind the Pacific Plate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windward Passage</span> Strait in the Caribbean Sea, between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola

Windward Passage is a strait in the Caribbean Sea, between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola. The strait specifically lies between the easternmost region of Cuba and the northwest of Haiti. 80 km (50 mi) wide, the Windward Passage has a threshold depth of 1,700 m (5,600 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cascadia subduction zone</span> Convergent plate boundary that stretches from northern Vancouver Island to Northern California

The Cascadia subduction zone is a 960 km (600 mi) fault at a convergent plate boundary, about 110–160 km (70–100 mi) off the Pacific coast, that stretches from northern Vancouver Island in Canada to Northern California in the United States. It is capable of producing 9.0+ magnitude earthquakes and tsunamis that could reach 30 m (98 ft). The Oregon Department of Emergency Management estimates shaking would last 5–7 minutes along the coast, with strength and intensity decreasing further from the epicenter. It is a very long, sloping subduction zone where the Explorer, Juan de Fuca, and Gorda plates move to the east and slide below the much larger mostly continental North American Plate. The zone varies in width and lies offshore beginning near Cape Mendocino, Northern California, passing through Oregon and Washington, and terminating at about Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rico Trench</span> Oceanic trench on a transform boundary between the Caribbean and North American Plates

The Puerto Rico Trench is located on the boundary between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The oceanic trench, the deepest in the Atlantic, is associated with a complex transition between the Lesser Antilles subduction zone to the south and the major transform fault zone or plate boundary, which extends west between Cuba and Hispaniola through the Cayman Trough to the coast of Central America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean Plate</span> A mostly oceanic tectonic plate including part of Central America and the Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Plate is a mostly oceanic tectonic plate underlying Central America and the Caribbean Sea off the northern coast of South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mona Passage</span> Strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea

The Mona Passage is a strait that separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The Mona Passage connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and is an important shipping route between the Atlantic and the Panama Canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geology of Puerto Rico</span> Regional geology

The Geology of Puerto Rico "can be divided into three major geologic provinces: The Cordillera Central, the Carbonate, and the Coastal Lowlands." Puerto Rico is composed of Jurassic to Eocene volcanic and plutonic rocks, which are overlain by younger Oligocene to recent carbonates and other sedimentary rocks. Most of the caverns and karst topography on the island occurs in the northern Oligocene to recent carbonates. The oldest rocks are approximately 190 million years old (Jurassic) and are located at Sierra Bermeja in the southwest part of the island. These rocks may represent part of the oceanic crust and are believed to come from the Pacific Ocean realm.

The 1918 San Fermín earthquake, also known as the Puerto Rico earthquake of 1918, struck the island of Puerto Rico at 10:14:42 local time on October 11. The earthquake measured 7.1 on the moment magnitude scale and IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale. The mainshock epicenter occurred off the northwestern coast of the island, somewhere along the Puerto Rico Trench.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enriquillo–Plantain Garden fault zone</span> Seismic fault in the Caribbean

The Enriquillo–Plantain Garden fault zone is a system of active coaxial left lateral-moving strike slip faults which runs along the southern side of the island of Hispaniola, where Haiti and the Dominican Republic are located. The EPGFZ is named for Lake Enriquillo in the Dominican Republic where the fault zone emerges, and extends across the southern portion of Hispaniola through the Caribbean to the region of the Plantain Garden River in Jamaica.

The 1787 Boricua earthquake struck offshore of the island of Puerto Rico on May 2. The magnitude of the earthquake was believed to have been around 8.0–8.25, however there is evidence that it was only about 6.9. The epicenter is thought to have been somewhere north of Puerto Rico, probably on the Puerto Rico Trench. Puerto Rican geomorphologist José Molinelli considers it "the strongest" in the seismic history of the country.

The 1842 Cap-Haïtien earthquake occurred at 17:00 local time on 7 May. It had an estimated magnitude of 8.1 on the Ms scale and triggered a destructive tsunami. It badly affected the northern coast of Haiti and part of what is now the Dominican Republic. Port-de-Paix suffered the greatest damage from both earthquake and tsunami. Approximately 5,000 people were killed by the effects of the earthquake shaking and another 300 by the tsunami.

The 1953 Tumbes earthquake occurred on December 12 at 12:31:29 local time near the border between Peru and Ecuador. The shock had a moment magnitude of 7.5, a maximum Mercalli Intensity of VIII (Severe), and occurred in the northwestern offshore area of Tumbes, Peru.

Starting on December 28, 2019, and progressing into 2020, the southwestern part of the island of Puerto Rico was struck by an earthquake swarm, including 11 that were of magnitude 5 or greater. The largest and most damaging of this sequence was a magnitude 6.4 Mw, which occurred on January 7 at 04:24 AST (08:24 UTC), with a maximum felt intensity of VIII (Severe) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. At least one person was killed, and several others were injured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami</span> Earthquake and tsunami in the Caribbean

The 1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami occurred on November 18, at 14.45 in the Anegada Passage about 20 km southwest of Saint Thomas, Danish West Indies. The Ms  7.5 earthquake came just 20 days after the devastating San Narciso Hurricane in the same region. Tsunamis from this earthquake were some of the highest ever recorded in the Lesser Antilles. Wave heights exceeded 10 m (33 ft) in some islands in the Lesser Antilles. The earthquake and tsunami resulted in no more than 50 fatalities, although hundreds of casualties were reported.

The 1900 Venezuelan earthquake, occurred on October 28 at between 4:30 and 4:45 am local time. This earthquake had an epicenter off Miranda State or near the Venezuelan capital Caracas, in the Cariaco Basin. It had an estimated moment magnitude of 7.6–7.7 and a surface-wave magnitude of 7.7–8.4. It had a maximum Mercalli intensity assigned VIII–X, causing landslides and liquefaction events. Many buildings were severely damaged or collapsed during the earthquake. It is thought to be the last great earthquake of the 19th century and the largest instrumentally recorded in the republic, having been felt throughout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Chignik earthquake</span> 7th largest earthquake in the US

An earthquake occurred off the coast of the Alaska Peninsula on July 28, 2021, at 10:15 p.m. local time. The large megathrust earthquake had a moment magnitude of 8.2 according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). A tsunami warning was issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) but later cancelled. The mainshock was followed by a number of aftershocks, including three that were of magnitude 5.9, 6.1 and 6.9 respectively.

The 2010 Aguas Buenas earthquake, also referred to as the 2010 Christmas Eve earthquake, occurred on December 24 at 7:43 p.m. local time in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. It measured 5.1 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong). The event was the largest in Puerto Rico since May 16th of the same year, and the largest to impact the San Juan metropolitan area since 1975. The earthquake was felt throughout the island of Puerto Rico, the island municipalities of Vieques and Culebra, the American and British Virgin Islands, and even in the Dominican Republic across the Mona Passage.

The 2010 Moca earthquake, also referred to as the 2010 Puerto Rico earthquake, occurred on May 16 at 1:16 a.m. local time in Moca, Puerto Rico. The earthquake measured 5.8 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong). This was the largest earthquake to strike Puerto Rico since the 1943 Puerto Rico earthquake which measured 7.7 on the Richter scale. This was also the first moderate to major earthquake in recorded history to originate on land in Puerto Rico, as earthquakes in the region usually have their epicenter in the ocean; another earthquake with an epicenter on land would occur later in December of the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mona Canyon</span> Submarine canyon in the Mona Passage

Mona Canyon is an 87-mile long (140 km) submarine canyon located in the Mona Passage, between the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, with steep walls measuring between 1.25 and 2.17 miles (2-3.5 km) in height from bottom to top. The Mona Canyon stretches from the Desecheo Island platform, specifically the Desecheo Rift, in the south to the Puerto Rico Trench, which contains some of the deepest points in the Atlantic Ocean, in the north. The canyon is also particularly associated with earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis, with the 1918 Puerto Rico earthquake having its epicenter in the Mona Rift along the submarine canyon.

References

  1. ↑ "Puerto Rico Seismic Network". redsismica.uprm.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Terremotos en Puerto Rico | EcoExploratorio: Museo de Ciencias de Puerto Rico" . Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  3. ↑ "Red Sísmica de Puerto Rico". redsismica.uprm.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  4. ↑ "Red Sísmica de Puerto Rico". redsismica.uprm.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  5. ↑ "Significant Earthquakes on a major fault system in Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Lesser Antilles, 1500–2010: Implications for Seismic Hazard". www.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  6. ↑ McCann, W.; Feldman, L.; McCann, M. (2010). "Catalog of felt earthquakes for Puerto Rico and neighboring islands 1493-1899 with additional information for some 20th century earthquakes". Revista Geofísica. 62: 182–192.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Latest Earthquakes". earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.