1615 Earthquake: Elmina, Ghana
An earthquake struck Elmina, Ghana in 1615.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- 1615
- Place
- Elmina, Ghana
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 5.100° N, 1.350° W
- Country
- Ghana
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
The earliest reported earthquake in the region occurred in 1615. In that year the fortress of Sao Jorge (Elmina), west of Cape (Coast) was racked by a violent earthquake, which shook the whole coast. For several months there were occasional aftershocks, one of which was so violent that one of the large bastions collapsed, destroying the gun battery located there (Vogt, 1979). (reference #1214)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 1615The 1600sRecent earthquakes near here
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 10950.