January 14, 1907 Earthquake: Kingston, Jamaica
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Kingston, Jamaica on January 14, 1907 at 20:38:12 UTC, 15 km below the surface. It killed 1,000 people.
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 14, 1907
- Time
- 20:38:12 UTC
- Place
- Kingston, Jamaica
- Magnitude
- 6.2 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 15 km (9 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 18.667° N, 76.237° W
- Country
- Jamaica
The toll
- Deaths
- 1,000
- Damage
- $30 million
- Houses destroyed
- 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.
Hall (1907) reports a witness who recalled that the "great earthquake" of Kingston "came without any warning, and in the space of 20 seconds, Kingston Town was shaken into a mass of shapeless ruins." Hall placed the epicenter 5 km south of the Palisadoes, between Plumb Point Lighthouse and Harbour Head; and the second focus lay between Buff Bay and Enfield, formed below the geological fault in the St. George district. The only seismograph was broken by the earthquake. The seismometer, when restored to operation, recorded aftershock traces revealing the two foci. The first bearing cut through Harbor Head, and the second cut the north shore between Annotto and Buff Bays.
About 1,000 and injured another 1,000, many of whom later died; 90,000 were left homeless. The earthquake damaged much of the surrounding area, including a suspension bridge at Port Maria. Buff Bay was destroyed. Tsunami effects were recorded.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 7, 1692, Port Royal, Jamaica
- June 12, 1766, Santiago DE Cuba
- February 3, 1932, Santiago DE Cuba
- November 12, 1988, St Andrew, Jacks Hill, Jamaica
- April 10, 1824, Kingston, Jamaica
- November 11, 1812, Kingston, Jamaica
- August 12, 1881, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 19, 1893, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 19, 1688, Port Royal, Jamaica
- June 14, 1899, Jamaica
- 1677, Port Royal, Jamaica
- March 1, 1688, Port Royal, Jamaica
- September 3, 1771, Port Royal,kingston, Jamaica
- February 16, 1896, Kingston, Jamaica
- August 1, 1781, Unknown Location, Jamaica
More
Significant earthquakes of 1907The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1907Recent 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 2801.