1918 San Fermín earthquake

Earthquake that struck Puerto Rico July 2026 July 2026 1918 San Fermín earthquake 913306 iscgem913306 1918-10-11 14:14:42 October 11, 1918 October 11, 1918 10:14:42 Puerto Rico 7.1 Mw $4–29 million USD 15 km on 18.80 -67.22 inline,title Unknown Puerto Rico Yes IX 76–118 The 1918 San Fermín earthquake,Historia de Mayagüez 1760–1960 Subcomite de la Historia de Mayagüez Talleres Graficos Interamericanos 1960 es http://mayaguezsabeamango.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=138&catid=51&Itemid=78 September 7, 2010Millie Gil. A 92 años del Terremoto de San Fermín, 1918. Mayaguez Sabe a Mango. 17 October 2010. also known as the Puerto Rico earthquake of 1918, struck the island of Puerto Rico at 10:14:42 local time 14:14:42 UTC 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. The earthquake triggered a tsunami that swept the west coast of the island. The combined effects of the earthquake and tsunami made it one of the worst natural disasters that have struck the island. The losses resulting from the disaster were approximately 76–118 casualtieshttps://water.usgs.gov/edu/tsunamishazards.html Tsunami Hazards – A National Threat A Real Risk for the United States United States Geological Survey March 6, 2018 August 19, 2018 and $4–29 million in property damage. Earthquake The epicenter of the 1918 San Fermín earthquake was located in the Mona Passage off the northwestern coast of the island. The strongest ground shaking has been estimated at intensity IX on the Mercalli intensity scale. The resulting tsunami affected primarily the west coast towns of the island, primarily Aguadilla and Mayaguez. Damage thumb|Damage caused to the "La Habanera de Infanzón y Rodríguez" building in Mayagüez Numerous structures in the west coast suffered irreparable damage. Factories and production facilities were virtually destroyed, while bridges and roads were severely damaged. The earthquake caused several mudslides in areas where the intensity exceeded Level VII, but none caused numerous deaths. River currents were also affected, which, in many cases affected the foundations of many bridges, resulted in their collapse. Telegraph cables under the ocean were damaged, cutting off the island from outside communication for a time. The reported casualties of the earthquake have been estimated somewhere between 76 and 116 deaths. Approximately 40 of these deaths were caused by the tsunami which swept shore communities. Damage to property was estimated to be between $4 and 29 million. In Aguadilla, the closest town to the earthquake epicenter, the parish church and most of the stone and concrete buildings were either destroyed or partially damaged.Mari Mut José A. 28 August 2013 Los pueblos de Puerto Rico y las iglesias de sus plazas https://archive.org/details/pueblospr 19 June 2020 es Internet Archive The nearby Spanish-built Punta Higuero lighthouse of Rincón was also severely damaged.Rincón 1 http://edicionesdigitales.info/FarosPR/FarosPR/Rincon_1.html June 28, 2019 Ediciones DigitalesRincón 2 http://edicionesdigitales.info/FarosPR/FarosPR/Rincon_2.html June 28, 2019 Ediciones Digitales In Mayagüez, the largest city to be directly affected, 700 masonry buildings were damaged and 1,000 wooden houses, leaving many people homeless. Major buildings like the church, post office, municipal theater and city hall were severely damaged. With fear of the aftershocks, many camped out in the hills for weeks.Peter Aviles, "The Earthquake of the Century" https://web.archive.org/web/20040515000000/http://poseidon.uprm.edu/public/The-Earthquake-of-the-Century.pdf 2004-05-15 , 2002, hosted at University of Puerto Rico, accessed 24 October 2013 Some of the buildings of the recently founded University of Puerto Rico campus were also damaged or destroyed. The Edificio José de Diego suffered structural damage and the Degetau Hall was destroyed with its main entrance portico being the only standing structure left intact.José de Diego (Rectoría) http://oiip.uprm.edu/building.php?id=137&lang=2 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100715190247/http://oiip.uprm.edu/building.php?id=137&lang=2 2010-07-15 2009-07-23 es These ruins were later preserved, and its portico would later on become a local landmark and the official emblem of the institution today.2016 Rincones de Mayagüez – Pórtico del Edificio Degetau https://www.mayaguezsabeamango.com/rincones/995-portico-del-edificio-degetau/ 2021-04-05 Mayagüez sabe a mangó esÁlvarez Cervela José María El Pórtico Federico Degetau en la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Mayagüez: Su Historia estética, constructiva y simbólica así como sus influencias arquitectónicas en Mayagüez Editorial UPRM 1988 91 The historic center of San Germán was also badly affected, with reported damage to notable structures such as the main town church.San Germán Historic District http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/prvi/pr21.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090430112715/http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/prvi/pr21.htm 2009-04-30 2009-05-20 National Park Service Cities throughout the southern coast were also affected. The United States Customs House was destroyedNational Archives, Records of the Public Buildings Service, Record Group #121; Box #855; "Ponce, P.R., Custom House" while the Ponce city hall for example was damaged, prompting the mayoral office to temporarily relocated to the Parque de Bombas until 1920.Armando Morales-Pares, State Architect, and Abelardo Gonzalez-Architect, State Historic Preservation Office, 23 May 1984. In National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form – Parque de Bombas de Ponce – (Ponce Firehouse). United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. (Washington, D.C.) p. 3. Listing Reference Number 84003150. 12 July 1984. Other damaged buildings in Ponce were the Tricoche Hospital and the Armstrong-Poventud House.Mariano G. Coronas Castro, Certifying Official; Felix J. del Campo, State Historian; and Jorge Ortiz Colom, State Architect, Puerto Rico Historic Preservation Office. (San Juan, Puerto Rico) April 7, 1987. In National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form. United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. (Washington, D.C.) p. 3. Listing Reference Number 87000769. May 14, 1986.Felix Julian del Campo Hector F. Santiago 1987 National Register of Historic Places Registration: Residencia Armstrong-Toro / Casa de las Caricitides 87001821 National Park Service with 87001821 10 photos from 1987 y There was damage reported further afield throughout Puerto Rico, for example the original bell towers of the cathedral of Humacao and the main town church of Vega Baja also collapsed.National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form 84003140 2011-10-17 National Park Service2014-04-04 Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario https://www.vegabaja.gov.pr/iglesia-nuestra-senora-del-rosario/ 2023-01-09 Municipio Autónomo de Vega Baja es The Corregimiento Plaza Theater, the cathedral and the city hall in Arecibo also sustained damage.Felix J.del Campo May 1, 1985 National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Corregimiento Plaza Theater / Oliver Theater 86000041 January 24, 2017 National Park Service with 86000041 y 12 photos, historical and from 1984Casa Alcaldía de Arecibo https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/profile/casa-alcaldia-de-arecibo/8601 2022-07-15 Discover Puerto Rico Tsunami thumb|Simulation of the results of the tsunami on the coast of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico As a result of the earthquake, a tsunami lashed the west coast of the island, probably 4–7 minutes after the main shock. The highest waves were estimated at 6.0 m on in Point Agujereada, 4.5 m on at Punta Borinquen (where it destroyed the lighthouse),Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-punta-borinquen-lighthouse-ruins 15 June 2019 Atlas Obscura and 5.2 m on at Point Jiguero.http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/caribbean/webpages/1918prindex.html https://web.archive.org/web/20050430235749/http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/caribbean/webpages/1918prindex.html dead April 30, 2005 1918 PUERTO RICO TSUNAMI USC Tsunami Research Group August 19, 2018 Several coastal villages were destroyed, and it has been estimated that 40 people drowned (32 in Aguadilla alone) as a direct result of the tsunami.Los Cascos Urbanos Hablan: Aguadilla 2/3 https://florida.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/512497ca-8ae5-4ed8-a2ac-953045f6e68f/los-cascos-urbanos-hablan-aguadilla-23/#.YCLv3-hKjIU florida.pbslearningmedia.org/ Puerto Rico National Endowment for the Humanities 9 February 2021 es 12 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210212235041/https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/512497ca-8ae5-4ed8-a2ac-953045f6e68f/los-cascos-urbanos-hablan-aguadilla-23/#.YCLv3-hKjIU dead The earthquake and consequent tsunami destroyed most historic vernacular residences in downtown Aguadilla with only a few, such as the Amparo Roldán residence,Jose R. Bourdony July 30, 1984 National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Casa de Piedra / Residence Amparo Roldan 86000704 December 28, 2016 National Park Service surviving. Many of the historic tombs and mausolea of the historic cemetery were also badly damaged by the waves.Jose Rafael Bourdony 1984 National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Old Urban Cemetery / Cemeterio Municipal 85000042 December 24, 2016 National Park Service with 85000042 y eight photos from 1984 Aftershocks Several aftershocks were reported immediately after the main earthquake. On October 24 and November 12, two strong aftershocks (6.4 and 6.1 Mw, respectively) were reported on the island.M 6.4 - 6 km WNW of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/iscgem913325/executive 2025-04-26 earthquake.usgs.govM 6.1 - 18 km NNW of San Antonio, Puerto Rico https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/iscgem913341/executive 2025-04-26 earthquake.usgs.gov However, no damage was reported as a result. United States response The response from the United States was to exempt the municipalities most affected from paying taxes for a short period immediately following the quake: those municipalities were Mayagüez, Aguada, Aguadilla, Añasco and Isabela. The U.S. appropriated funds for the repair of municipal buildings of the most affected municipalities.United States. Congress Congressional Edition U.S. Government Printing Office v. 7469 1919 https://books.google.com/books?id=yNVGAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 July 31, 2019 12–16 Gallery See also Puerto Rico Geology 1787 Boricua earthquake 1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami 2019–20 Puerto Rico earthquakes Geology of Puerto Rico List of disasters in the United States by death toll List of earthquakes in 1918 List of earthquakes in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands List of earthquakes in the Caribbean References ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1900–2012) http://www.isc.ac.uk/iscgem/index.php ISC 2016 International Seismological Centre Version 3.0 Significant Earthquake Database https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/struts/form?t=101650&s=1&d=1 National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA 10.7289/V5TD9V7K 1972 PAGER-CAT Earthquake Catalog https://earthquake.usgs.gov/static/lfs/data/pager/catalogs/ https://web.archive.org/web/20200313112456/ftp://hazards.cr.usgs.gov/web/data/pager/catalogs/ dead 2020-03-13 September 4, 2009 United States Geological Survey Version 2008_06.1 Sources Did a submarine landslide trigger the 1918 Puerto Rico tsunami? http://www.tsunamisociety.org/272Hornbach.pdf M.J. Hornbach S.A. Mondziel N.R. Grindlay C. Frohlich P. Mann 2008 Science of Tsunami Hazards Tsunami Society 27 2 22–31 The Porto Rico Earthquakes of October–November, 1918 http://www.bssaonline.org/content/9/4/95.extract https://web.archive.org/web/20150923195013/http://www.bssaonline.org/content/9/4/95.extract dead September 23, 2015 H. Reid Harry Fielding Reid 1919 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America Seismological Society of America 9 4 95–127 10.1785/BSSA0090040095 1919BuSSA...9...95R 129077177 subscription On the earthquake hazards of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands http://www.bssaonline.org/content/75/1/251.abstract https://web.archive.org/web/20150923194930/http://www.bssaonline.org/content/75/1/251.abstract dead September 23, 2015 W. McCann 1985 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America Seismological Society of America 75 1 251–262 10.1785/BSSA0750010251 1985BuSSA..75..251M subscription Further reading Brink U. Chaytor J. Flores C. Wei Y. Detmer S. Lucas L. Andrews B. Georgiopoulou A. Seafloor Observations Eliminate a Landslide as the Source of the 1918 Puerto Rico Tsunami Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 2023 0037-1106 10.1785/0120220146 External links "Puerto Rico Seismic Network" – University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Significant earthquake – Puerto Rico: Mona Passage – National Geophysical Data Center M 7.1 – Puerto Rico region – United States Geological Survey The Tectonic Setting and Geology of Puerto Rico and Its Surrounding Seafloor – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Map of Tsunami wave heights in Puerto Rico by USC Tsunami Research Group Wave transformation in Coastal Wiki Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands by USGS.gov 913306 Category:October 1918 in North America Category:Mayagüez, Puerto Rico San Fermin Earthquake, 1918 San Fermin Earthquake, 1918 Category:1910s tsunamis Category:Earthquakes in Puerto Rico