August 1, 1781 Earthquake: Unknown Location, Jamaica
An earthquake struck Unknown Location, Jamaica on August 1, 1781. It caused a tsunami.
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
- August 1, 1781
- Place
- Unknown Location, Jamaica
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 18.100° N, 77.300° W
- Country
- Jamaica
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 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.
"Grases [1971], citing Henderson's "Jamaica Almanac for 1852" [1852], reported that a series of waves and disastrous earthquakes nearly ruined the island of Jamaica. No other reports of earthquakes could be found for this day, but a major hurricane is reported. Not reported in Hall [1907]." (Lander et. al, 2002)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 7, 1692, Port Royal, Jamaica
- January 14, 1907, Kingston, Jamaica
- October 3, 1780, Savanna LA Mar, Jamaica
- 1667, Jamaica
- February 19, 1687, Jamaica
- June 14, 1899, Jamaica
- February 19, 1688, Port Royal, Jamaica
- November 11, 1812, Kingston, Jamaica
- August 12, 1881, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 19, 1893, Kingston, Jamaica
- November 12, 1988, St Andrew, Jacks Hill, Jamaica
- October 27, 1787, Montego Bay, Jamaica
- April 27, 1861, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 16, 1896, Kingston, Jamaica
- April 10, 1824, Kingston, Jamaica
More
Significant earthquakes of 1781The 1700sRecent 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 1450.