November 19, 1991 Earthquake: Chaco, Buenaventura, Cali, Colombia
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Chaco, Buenaventura, Cali, Colombia on November 19, 1991 at 22:28:51 UTC, 21 km below the surface. It killed 2 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
- November 19, 1991
- Time
- 22:28:51 UTC
- Place
- Chaco, Buenaventura, Cali, Colombia
- Magnitude
- 6.4 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 21 km (13 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 4.554° N, 77.442° W
- Country
- Colombia
The toll
- Deaths
- 2
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million); Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with its tsunami and other effects
- Houses damaged
- 28
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.
1991, Nov 19. Two people killed and 28 houses damaged in Choco Deportment. Minor damage (VI) to buildings in the Buenoventuro and Cali areas. Felt strongly in many parts of western Colombia. Felt (II) at Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 25, 1999, Armenia, Calarca, Pereira, Caldas, Huila, Colombia
- November 23, 1979, Manizales-Armenia, Colombia
- July 30, 1962, Mistrato, Manizales, Colombia
- February 8, 1995, Cali, Pereira, Armenia, Calarca, Colombia
- February 5, 1938, Eje Cafetero, Colombia
- April 24, 1973, Colombia, San Cristobal, Venezuela
- January 19, 2024, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
- November 15, 2004, Bajo Baudo, Buenaventura, Cerrito, Colombia
- October 11, 1877, Buenaventura, Colombia
- February 21, 1906, Buenaventura, Colombia
- January 5, 2014, Sipi, Colombia
- July 9, 1766, Buga,cali,popayan, Colombia
- 1566, Colombia
- February 3, 1906, Colombia
- September 26, 1970, Bahia Solano, Colombia
More
Significant earthquakes of 1991The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1991Recent 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 5311.