1787 Boricua earthquake
| Local date | May 2, 1787 |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 6.9 MI[1] 8.0–8.25 Mw[1] |
| Areas affected | Puerto Rico |
| Tsunami | Yes |
| Casualties | unknown |
The 1787 Boricua earthquake struck offshore of the island of
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.[1] The epicenter is thought to have been somewhere north of Puerto Rico, probably on the Puerto Rico Trench.[2] Puerto Rican geomorphologist José Molinelli considers it "the strongest" in the seismic history of the country.[3]
Effects
According to some sources, the earthquake was felt all across the Island. It demolished some structures like the
Our Lady of Guadalupe church in Ponce.[6]
There are no historical records of damage to the surrounding islands, adding to the evidence that the quake was smaller than previously thought.[1]
Evidence
The earthquake that struck the island has little historical record itself, but some of the little evidence that exists suggests that effects were done to the topography of the
ocean floor. Also, soil deposits give evidence that the event may have had a physical effect on the island; this evidence suggests that the island may have sunk about 3 meters. It is estimated that the tsunami produced by the earthquake may have been some 40–60 ft high, mostly because the Caribbean ocean in particular is quite shallow. Coastal regions of the island were swamped, producing a thin layer of the crust, showing that salt water had reached almost 2 miles inland.[citation needed
]
See also
- 1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami
- 1918 San Fermín earthquake
- List of earthquakes in 1918
- List of earthquakes in Puerto Rico
- List of earthquakes in the Caribbean
References
- ^ hdl:1912/5022.
- ^ a b Earthquake History of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on USGS
- ^ Alvarado León, Gerardo E. (May 5, 2016). "A 229 años del terremoto "más fuerte en la historia"". El Nuevo Día. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
- ^ Arecibo on EdicionesDigitales
- ^ El Morro, San Cristobal y San Geronimo en peligro en caso de terremoto Archived 2014-01-08 at the Wayback Machine on NoticiasOnline (6/7/2009)
- ^ Historia sísmica de Puerto Rico: Terremotos significativos en la zona de Puerto Rico. SalonHogar.com Accessed 22 March 2018.