November 11, 1812 Earthquake: Kingston, Jamaica
An earthquake struck Kingston, Jamaica on November 11, 1812 at 10:50:00 UTC. 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
- November 11, 1812
- Time
- 10:50:00 UTC
- Place
- Kingston, Jamaica
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 18.000° N, 76.800° W
- Country
- Jamaica
The toll
- Deaths
- Some (about 51 to 100)
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses damaged
- Many (101 to 1,000)
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.
1812, November 11. West Indies, Jamaica, Kingston. Intensity II which corresponds to buildings may be unroofed or shattered and some may fall, the ground may be badly cracked in places and small landslips occur. (reference #1055)
1812. November 11. Kingston in Jamaica. A shock of forty seconds duration. Almost all the houses injured. November 12. Jamaica. Three shocks together lasting 30 seconds. The sea was much agitated. Probably the same as the last account. (reference #497)
1812, November 11, 2:30 a.m. (II), 5:50 a.m. (IV). Whole island, eastern part chiefly: three shocks succeeded each other rapidly. (reference #494)
1812, November 11, 05.50 h. Jamaica (IV). Whole island, eastern part chiefly. Three shocks succeeding rapidly. (Maxwell Hall). Jamaica, Kingston (VIII) 05.50 h. Almost every house was injured. All the New barracks, and the inside walls of Kingston Church, were destroyed. Several people killed. (Barbados Mercury and Bridgetown Gazette, 12.1.1813). (reference #535)
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
- August 12, 1881, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 19, 1893, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 19, 1688, Port Royal, Jamaica
- June 14, 1899, Jamaica
- November 12, 1988, St Andrew, Jacks Hill, Jamaica
- April 10, 1824, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 16, 1896, Kingston, Jamaica
- August 1, 1781, Unknown Location, Jamaica
- 1677, Port Royal, Jamaica
- March 1, 1688, Port Royal, Jamaica
- September 3, 1771, Port Royal,kingston, Jamaica
- 1667, Jamaica
More
Significant earthquakes of 1812The 1800sRecent 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 1607.