November 11, 1812 Tsunami: Kingston, Jamaica

Name: November 11, 1812 Tsunami: Kingston, Jamaica
Start: 1812-11-11
Location: Kingston, Jamaica

November 11, 1812 · Deaths: some · Questionable tsunami

A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Kingston, Jamaica on November 11, 1812 at 10:50 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 1 place.

Where the waves reached

The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.

Under 1 m
1 to 3 m
3 to 10 m
10 to 30 m
30 m and more
Height not recorded

Tsunami warnings in force

The tsunami

Date: November 11, 1812, 10:50 UTC
Source: Kingston, Jamaica
Cause: Earthquake
Earthquake: The earthquake
Runups recorded: 1
Waters: Ocean
How certain: Questionable tsunami
Source location: 18.000° N, 76.800° W

The toll

Deaths: Some (about 51 to 100) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Damage: Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Houses damaged: Many (101 to 1,000) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it

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.

The sea was much agitated following an earthquake. At Annotto Bay, anchorage ground sank, causing a ship to lose its anchor and 90 fathoms of cable. Lander et al. (Reference #537) writes, "This may be the description of the effects of a submarine landslide or of subsidence, or could be the description of a tsunami or the action of a seaquake."

1812, November 11, 05:50 local time. Jamaica: Annotto Bay and Kingston. 18 N, 76.5 W. The sea was much agitated following 3 rapidly succeeding shocks at Kingston [MMI VIII], and all of Jamaica. "A shock of 40 seconds' duration; almost all the houses collapsed," according to Mallet, and the Nov. 12 report that "the sea was much agitated," was probably the same account. A submarine landslide is suggested since anchorage ground sank at Annotto Bay. The anchor and 90 fathoms [ 165 m] of cable from the ship, Experiment, suddenly ran out with such force that, had the bulkhead not given way, the ship would have foundered. Hall, 1913; Le Moniteur Belge, 1813; Mallet, 1855; Milne, 1912; Moreau de Jon& 1819. V2. (reference #1492)

1812, November 11, l0:50 UTC. The sea was much agitated following an earthquake. At Annotto Bay, Jamaica, anchorage ground sank causing a ship to lose its anchor and 90 fathoms (-180 m) of cable. This may be the description of the effects of a submarine landslide or of subsidence, or could be the description of a tsunami or the action of a seaquake. Hall, 1907; Mallet, 18.55. V2 (reference #537)

Every runup

Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.

Where	Country	Km from source	Water height, m	Inland, m	Measured by	First wave, UTC	Deaths
Annotto Bay	Jamaica	30			Eyewitness observation of water height

Every tsunami in 1812 The 1800s Tsunamis of Jamaica The earthquake This day in weather history Alerts in force

Sources

Tsunami events and runups 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 tsunami event 608.