A catastrophic 1692 earthquake submerged most of Port Royal below sea level, destroying one of the Caribbean's wealthiest colonial ports.
Key Facts
- Date
- 7 June 1692
- Approximate time
- 11:43 AM local time
- Immediate death toll
- ~2,000 people
- Deaths in following days
- ~3,000 people
- City status pre-earthquake
- One of the busiest and wealthiest ports in the Americas
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Port Royal, situated on a narrow spit of land in Jamaica, was a densely populated colonial port built on loose sandy sediment. In June 1692, a major seismic event struck beneath or near the island. The city's geology made it highly vulnerable to liquefaction and subsidence when subjected to strong ground motion.
On 7 June 1692, a powerful earthquake struck Port Royal at approximately 11:43 AM. The shaking caused large portions of the city to sink into the harbour below sea level through liquefaction. The earthquake was followed by a tsunami that compounded the destruction, killing around 2,000 people outright.
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami destroyed Port Royal as a functioning city, submerging most of it beneath the harbour. A further 3,000 people died in the days that followed from injuries and disease. The disaster ended the city's role as the dominant colonial trading and privateering hub of the Caribbean.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 5,000 (earthquake)