January 18, 1902 Earthquake: San Martin, Quezaltenango, Guatemala
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck San Martin, Quezaltenango, Guatemala on January 18, 1902 at 23:23 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
- January 18, 1902
- Time
- 23:23 UTC
- Place
- San Martin, Quezaltenango, Guatemala
- Magnitude
- 6.3 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 14.710° N, 91.590° W
- Country
- Guatemala
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Houses damaged
- Few (about 1 to 50)
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.
On January 18, 1902 at 17:20 [local time], a very strong earthquake occurred, which affected the entire territory of Guatemala and lasted about 1/2 minute. Several homes collapsed at San Martin village near Quesaltenango, while three sand ridges about 2 km long formed at Ocosa. The visible ground waves, according to accounts, were 25-30 m long and 25-30 cm high. Two 20-ton locomotives were shifted 1 1/2-2 m. Similar phenomena were observed on the coast of Mexico at San Benito. Richter (1963): April 19, 02:23UTC; 14 N., 91 W., M=8.3. (reference #415)
January 18, 1902, 23:23, 14.71 N, 91.59 W, depth 40-60 km, magnitude 6.3, questionable local tsunami. On January 18, 1902 at 17:20 a very strong earthquake occurred, which affected the entire territory of Guatemala. Several homes collapsed at San Martin village near Quetzaltenango, while three sand ridges about 20 km long formed at Ocos. The visible round waves according to accounts, were 25-30 m long and 25-30 cm high. Two 20-ton locomotives were shifted 1.5-2 m. Similar phenomena were observed on the coast of Mexico at San Benito. (reference #273)
January 18, 1902, 23:23 UTC, 14.71 N, 91.59 W, magnitude 6.31 MS. (reference #7896)
January 18, 1902. VII: Costa Cuca, San Francisco Zapotitlan (G). partly destroyed; continuous earthquakes to 4/18. (reference #14066)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 26, 1917, Guatemala City
- April 19, 1902, Quezaltenango, San Marcos, Guatemala
- June 3, 1773, St. Jago, Guatemala
- September 3, 1874, Antigua,chimaltenango,amatitlan, Guatemala
- July 29, 1773, Antigua, Guatemala
- November 7, 2012, San Marcos, San Cristobal Cochu, Guatemala
- September 18, 1991, Guatemala City, Pachuta, Solola
- July 22, 1816, Soloma, Guatemala
- September 25, 1968, S Chiapas, Mexico-Guatemala
- July 29, 1978, Patzun, Guatemala
- July 8, 2025, Guatemala City, Escuintla, Sacatepequez
- June 14, 2017, Quetzaltenango, Suchitepequez, Mexico, Guatemala
- November 3, 1988, S Palin, San Vicente Pacaya, Guatemala
- March 13, 1976, Guatemala
- July 7, 2014, San Marcos, Mexico, Guatemala
More
Significant earthquakes of 1902The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1902Recent 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 8773.