May 2, 1787 Earthquake: Arecibo,mayaguez,san Juan,caguas, Puerto Rico, US Territories

1787 May 02. Made unusable the churches at Arecibo, Caguas, Toa Alta and Mayaguez. Destroyed the church of San Felipe at Arecibo and the chapels at Rosario and Concepcion. Also did great damage to temples at Mayaguez, Caguas and Toa Alta where large cracks occurred. In San Juan, great damage was done to the forts of Morro and San Cristobal as well as to the docks and the cathedral. An earthquake damaged the church at Arecibo and the chapels at Rosario and Concepcion. Strong earthquake throughout the Island which ruined various buildings. A high intensity earthquake occurred in Puerto Rico which caused considerable damage at the El Moro and San Cristobal military fortifications. It also destroyed the San Felipe church at Arecibo and the grottos and chapels at Rosario and Concepcion, Churches at Mayaguez, Caguas and Toa Alta were made unusable. Strong earthquake felt throughout entire Island. Damaged and ruined many buildings (reference #1189)

1787 May 02 (and May 18). Mestre (1787), Dabian (1787), Mestre and Dabian (1787) and Matos (1787) make is clear that the earthquake was felt equally strongly throughout the island. They note significant damage to fortifications in San Juan as well as the majority of its houses. They also note that the church in Arecibo needs to be rebuilt and those of Mayagüez, Bayamón and Toa-Alta, Cayey and Añasco, and Ponce need repairs. Damage was also done to fortifications, and bridges in San Juan […] it is clear that this event caused widespread strong shaking, damage, and numerous felt aftershocks, at least one of them damaging. Given the extent of the region reporting damage (the island is 150 km long) it is clear that event has a shallow and long source area to the north, probably parallel to the island. Data are consistent with a great earthquake rupturing the plate interface north of the island. Of all the events reported in this catalog, this event is the strongest, most widely damaging. Tio (1956) refers to this event at the great earthquake, we agree. (reference #14050)

Reference #14050 notes that any references to a damaging earthquake in 1717 in the region are erroneous and should be transferred to this earthquake of May 2nd, 1787.