June 7, 1692 Earthquake: Port Royal, Jamaica
An earthquake struck Port Royal, Jamaica on June 7, 1692, 10 km below the surface. It killed 3,000 people, counting the tsunami it caused.
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
- June 7, 1692
- Place
- Port Royal, Jamaica
- Focal depth
- 10 km (6 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 17.800° N, 76.700° W
- Country
- Jamaica
The toll
- Deaths
- 1,000; 3,000 with its tsunami and other effects
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 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.
An earthquake at Port Royal, Jamaica, caused a landslide within the harbor, generated a tsunami, and destroyed ninety percent of the buildings in the city. Portions of the city slipped into the water.
June 7, 1692, Port Royal, Jamaica, 3000 deaths. (reference #1055)
Contemporaries variously estimated the death toll at between 1,500 and 5,000. (reference #13087)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 14, 1907, Kingston, Jamaica
- October 3, 1780, Savanna LA Mar, Jamaica
- August 12, 1881, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 19, 1893, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 19, 1688, Port Royal, Jamaica
- February 16, 1896, Kingston, Jamaica
- November 11, 1812, Kingston, Jamaica
- April 10, 1824, Kingston, Jamaica
- 1677, Port Royal, Jamaica
- March 1, 1688, Port Royal, Jamaica
- September 3, 1771, Port Royal,kingston, Jamaica
- November 12, 1988, St Andrew, Jacks Hill, Jamaica
- June 14, 1899, Jamaica
- August 1, 1781, Unknown Location, Jamaica
- 1667, Jamaica
More
Significant earthquakes of 1692The 1600sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
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 1126.