March 12, 1883 Tsunami: S. Mexico

On March 12, 1883, tsunami event validity likely. According to a report from Cuale (Mexico, Jalisco State), the sea left its usual bed on a very long stretch of Coast on March 12. It retreated far from shore, so that elevations and depressions on its bottom dried up. In particular, one could see that the Las Tres Marias Islands are the tops of a large underwater mountain protruding over the water surface. Many different fishes, as well as corals, shell fish and other benthic animals were stranded on the irregularities of the sea floor. It is not known how long the ebb tide lasted, but some time later, the sea returned rather quickly and with considerable noise to its previous position. Nothing about an earthquake was reported. On the following day, a hurricane and downpour broke on this locality. (reference #415)

1883 March 12. Tsunami source: unknown / landslide?. Orozco y Berra (1887–1888), referenced by Montessus de Ballore (1906), Brand (1958), and Soloviev and Go (1984), described that at “Las Peñas on [March] 12 … the sea retreated far from the coast, left its usual bed widely and distantly from the shore, so that the seabed was exposed.” Las Peñas is known now as Puerto Vallarta. (reference #13627)