December 31, 1816 Earthquake: Norfolk, Virginia, United States
An earthquake struck Norfolk, Virginia, United States on December 31, 1816 at 18:00 UTC.
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
- December 31, 1816
- Time
- 18:00 UTC
- Place
- Norfolk, Virginia, United States
- Intensity
- 5 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 27.417° N, 70.917° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Earthquake of December 31, 1816, Norfolk, Virginia, (Tuesday, 1300 Hrs.). Ship at sea (lat. 27°25'; long. 70°55'). On the 31st of December at 4 o'clock p.m….they experienced a very severe shock of an earthquake, which was accompanied with a noise so much resembling that of a vessel when striking on a rock or wreck - that they for some time believed it actually to be the case. It imparted to the vessel a tremendous motion which was very appalling, and nearly unshipped the compasses…At half past 12 the same night they felt another shock, but nothing like as severe as the first." (The Enquirer, from Richmond Virginia 1/14/17).
Note: Reference #14462 lists a felt shock in Norfolk, VA, (MMI III) with this shock felt at sea. Listed in reference as 1300 on 31 December 1816 which would be approximately 18:05 on December 31, 1816 UTC.
More
Significant earthquakes of 1816The 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 11016.