September 7, 1882 Tsunami: San Blas Archipelago, Panama

An Ms=7.9 earthquake was observed at Panama; Rivas and Greytown, Nicaragua; Buenaventura and Cartegena, Colombia; Maracaibo, Venezuela; and Guayaquil, Ecuador. It was felt strongly by vessels offshore at Panama City, but no anomaly was observed at the tide gauge on Isla Naos (Pacific side). The cable between Colon and Jamaica broke, which suggests a submarine landslide that might have been caused by the earthquake. A 3m tsunami affected the San Blas Coast of Northern Panama; between 75 and 100 were drowned (reference #273).

1882, Sept. 7, about 3:00 [local time]. There was an earthquake at Panama, stronger than any previously known. Sieberg (1932), in giving the basic data on the earthquake, reports that it was accompanied by tsunami waves which were observed from Panama to Guayaquil [source of information unknown]. Iida (reference #79) surmises, without much evidence, that two earthquakes occurred: one in Panama and Nicaragua, the other in Colombia. ["Tsunami wave in Guayaquil" is an incorrect translation of "Seismic wave down to Guayaquil" in Sieberg, reference #1576, listed below] (reference #415)

1882, Sept. 7. Destruction in the city of Panama, several deaths. Also felt on the islands and a tsunami. Cable breaks. Damage suffered the landward towns, even Colon. Felt in Nicaragua to Greytown, North Colombia and Venezuela to Caracas. Seismic wave down to Guayaquil. Numerous, partly final aftershock to 1883. (ref #1576).

A large tsunami associated with the earthquake swept the San Blas Islands in northern Panama on 7 September 1882, killing about 65 people (Star and Herald, 1882; Nelson, 1889). A newspaper article that appeared in the Star and Herald (1882) of Panama City on 11 October 1882 contains a firsthand account of the tsunami damage. The article is based on details provided to the governor by one of the island inhabitants and contains the following statements:

". . . the tide ran out a great distance, and on its return, swept away the villages built on the beaches of the different islands of the archipelago and on the mainland. The outflow and inflow occurred four times a day, the greatest damage being done by the third wave. The villages of Rio Coco, Isla Paloma, Napacandi, on the islands of the same name, were swept away, and more than forty persons were drowned. At Playon Grande, every house was washed down,

but only two persons were drowned. Playon Chico, which adjoins it, also suffered. All the produce stored at Rio Mono was swept away, but no lives were lost. The chief loss of produce, however, has taken place at Aguili Candi island

. . . Sixteen persons lost their lives there, and several thousand dollars worth of imported goods were swept into the sea. The villages of Rio Banana and Mosquito have also been flooded, the people left homeless, and their goods destroyed. "Although the sea was observed to be relatively calm at Colon, the Canal Company tidal gauge located offshore registered a distinct tsunami with a maximum height of 62 cm (Bulletin du Canal Interoceanique, 1882; Nelson, 1889). At Miguel de la Borda, the tide rose and flooded beach houses (Star and Herald, 1882). Because subsidence was extensive in the area, however, the tsunami effects at Miguel de la Borda cannot be accurately estimated. The submarine telegraph cable between Col6n and Jamaica broke during the earthquake (Star and Herald, 1882; De Montessus de Ballore, 1888; Nelson, 1889). (reference #1575)