December 24, 1852 Earthquake: Bandaneira, Indonesia

Name: December 24, 1852 Earthquake: Bandaneira, Indonesia
Start: 1852-12-24
Location: Bandaneira, Indonesia

December 24, 1852 · M7 · Deaths: few

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Bandaneira, Indonesia on December 24, 1852. 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: December 24, 1852
Place: Bandaneira, Indonesia
Magnitude: 7 (Ms)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 5.000° S, 130.500° E
Country: Indonesia

The toll

Deaths: Few (about 1 to 50) with its tsunami and other effects
Damage: Limited (under about $1 million)
Houses destroyed: Few (about 1 to 50); Some (about 51 to 100) with its tsunami and other effects

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.

1852, December 24, 14:30[local time]. At Bandaneira (?), there were two recurrent shocks of the earthquake of November 26. Several homes which had withstood the preceding earthquakes collapsed. Two spice plantations which had not been affected previously were reduced to complete disorder. A large number of proas in the roadstead and off the coast of Cera Island, and also floating villages off Gorong Island were inundated and smashed on shore with the inhabitants. There were victims. About 400 proas were wrecked. The effects were similar on the islands of Tioor, Ambon, Saparua and Haruku (at Hulaliu, Oma, Wassu) and also at the settlements of Ameth, Akon, and Laintu on Laot Island. (reference #414)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1852 The 1800s Recent earthquakes near here This 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 9883.