Tsunamis in Puerto Rico
A total of 3 tidal waves classified as a tsunami since 1867 have killed 140 people in Puerto Rico. Tsunamis therefore occur only rarely here.The strongest tidal wave registered in Puerto Rico so far reached a height of 6.1 meters. On 11/18/1867, no losses of human lifes have been registered by this tsunami.
The biggest impact in terms of lifes, injuries, destroyed homes and the economy had been a tsunami on 10/11/1918. A tidal wave of up to six meters killed 140 humans and destroyed vast areas.
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Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes or other seismic eruptions on ground of an oceans and can cause massive tidal waves, which run with enormous force on land, causing great devastation. Especially in regions with only few tsunamis, the damage is often drastic, as the population does not expect tsunamis and thus hardly takes any protective measures. Even relatively small flood waves can lead to high losses and financial damage.The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 160 years.
The largest tsunamis in Puerto Rico since 1867
| Date | Cause | Max. tidal wave | Fatalities | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/11/1918 | Earthquake, landslide in Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico: Mona Passage) with a magnitude of 7.1. The tsunami also reached Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands. | 6 m | 140 | |
| 03/17/1868 | Earthquakes on the Virgin Islands (Virgin Islands) | 1.5 m | 0 | |
| 11/18/1867 | Earthquakes on the Virgin Islands (Virgin Islands) with a magnitude of 7.5. The tsunami caused damages in 9 further countries. A total of 24 humans died. | 6.1 m | 0 |
These evaluations are based on data from the Global Historical Tsunami Database of the National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, and World Data Service (NGDC/WDS), doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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