1918 San Fermín earthquake

The epicenter of the 1918 San Fermín earthquake was located in the Mona Passage off the northwestern coast of the island. The strongest ground shaking has been estimated at intensity IX on the Mercalli intensity scale. The resulting tsunami affected primarily the west coast towns of the island, primarily Aguadilla and Mayaguez.

File:Terremoto Mayaguez 1918.jpg]]

Numerous structures in the west coast suffered irreparable damage. Factories and production facilities were virtually destroyed, while bridges and roads were severely damaged. The earthquake caused several mudslides in areas where the intensity exceeded Level VII, but none caused numerous deaths. River currents were also affected, which, in many cases affected the foundations of many bridges, resulted in their collapse. Telegraph cables under the ocean were damaged, cutting off the island from outside communication for a time.

The reported casualties of the earthquake have been estimated somewhere between 76 and 116 deaths. Approximately 40 of these deaths were caused by the tsunami which swept shore communities. Damage to property was estimated to be between $4 and 29 million.

In Aguadilla, the closest town to the earthquake epicenter, the parish church and most of the stone and concrete buildings were either destroyed or partially damaged.{{cite web|last=Mari Mut|first=José A.|date=28 August 2013|title=Los pueblos de Puerto Rico y las iglesias de sus plazas|url=https://archive.org/details/pueblospr|access-date=19 June 2020|language=es|via=Internet Archive}} The nearby Spanish-built Punta Higuero lighthouse of Rincón was also severely damaged.{{cite web|title=Rincón 1|url=http://edicionesdigitales.info/FarosPR/FarosPR/Rincon_1.html|access-date=June 28, 2019|website=Ediciones Digitales}}{{cite web|title=Rincón 2|url=http://edicionesdigitales.info/FarosPR/FarosPR/Rincon_2.html|access-date=June 28, 2019|website=Ediciones Digitales}}

In Mayagüez, the largest city to be directly affected, 700 masonry buildings were damaged and 1,000 wooden houses, leaving many people homeless. Major buildings like the church, post office, municipal theater and city hall were severely damaged. With fear of the aftershocks, many camped out in the hills for weeks.[http://poseidon.uprm.edu/public/The-Earthquake-of-the-Century.pdf Peter Aviles, "The Earthquake of the Century"], 2002, hosted at University of Puerto Rico, accessed 24 October 2013 Some of the buildings of the recently founded University of Puerto Rico campus were also damaged or destroyed. The Edificio José de Diego suffered structural damages and the Degetau Hall was destroyed with its main entrance portico being the only standing structure left intact.{{cite web|title=José de Diego (Rectoría)|url=http://oiip.uprm.edu/building.php?id=137&lang=2|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715190247/http://oiip.uprm.edu/building.php?id=137&lang=2|archive-date=2010-07-15|access-date=2009-07-23|language=es}} These ruins were later preserved, and its portico would later on become a local landmark and the official emblem of the institution today.{{Cite web|date=2016|title=Rincones de Mayagüez – Pórtico del Edificio Degetau|url=https://www.mayaguezsabeamango.com/rincones/995-portico-del-edificio-degetau/|access-date=2021-04-05|website=Mayagüez sabe a mangó|language=es}}{{Cite book|last=Álvarez Cervela|first=José María|title=El Pórtico Federico Degetau en la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Mayagüez: Su Historia estética, constructiva y simbólica así como sus influencias arquitectónicas en Mayagüez|publisher=Editorial UPRM|year=1988|page=91}}

The historic center of San Germán was also badly affected, with reported damages to notable structures such as the main town church.{{cite web|title=San Germán Historic District|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/prvi/pr21.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430112715/http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/prvi/pr21.htm|archive-date=2009-04-30|access-date=2009-05-20|publisher=National Park Service}} Cities throughout the southern coast were also affected. The United States Customs House was destroyedNational Archives, Records of the Public Buildings Service, Record Group #121; Box #855; "Ponce, P.R., Custom House" while the Ponce city hall for example was damaged, prompting the mayoral office to temporarily relocated to the Parque de Bombas until 1920.Armando Morales-Pares, State Architect, and Abelardo Gonzalez-Architect, State Historic Preservation Office, 23 May 1984. In National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form – Parque de Bombas de Ponce – (Ponce Firehouse). United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. (Washington, D.C.) p. 3. Listing Reference Number 84003150. 12 July 1984. Other damaged buildings in Ponce were the Tricoche Hospital and the Armstrong-Poventud House.Mariano G. Coronas Castro, Certifying Official; Felix J. del Campo, State Historian; and Jorge Ortiz Colom, State Architect, Puerto Rico Historic Preservation Office. (San Juan, Puerto Rico) April 7, 1987. In National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form. United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. (Washington, D.C.) p. 3. Listing Reference Number 87000769. May 14, 1986.{{cite web|first1=Felix Julian|last1=del Campo|first2=Hector F.|last2=Santiago|year=1987|title=National Register of Historic Places Registration: Residencia Armstrong-Toro / Casa de las Caricitides|url={{NRHP url|87001821}}|publisher=National Park Service}} with {{NRHP url|87001821|title=10 photos from 1987|photos=y}}

There were damages reported further afield throughout Puerto Rico, for example the original bell towers of the cathedral of Humacao and the main town church of Vega Baja also collapsed.{{cite web|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form|url={{NRHP url|id=84003140}}|access-date=2011-10-17|publisher=National Park Service}}{{Cite web|date=2014-04-04|title=Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario|url=https://www.vegabaja.gov.pr/iglesia-nuestra-senora-del-rosario/|access-date=2023-01-09|website=Municipio Autónomo de Vega Baja|language=es}} The Corregimiento Plaza Theater, the cathedral and the city hall in Arecibo also sustained damages.{{cite web|author=Felix J.del Campo|date=May 1, 1985|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Corregimiento Plaza Theater / Oliver Theater|url={{NRHP url|id=86000041}}|access-date=January 24, 2017|publisher=National Park Service}} with {{NRHP url|id=86000041|photos=y|title=12 photos, historical and from 1984}}{{Cite web|title=Casa Alcaldía de Arecibo|url=https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/profile/casa-alcaldia-de-arecibo/8601|access-date=2022-07-15|website=Discover Puerto Rico}}

Image:Inundacion-1918.jpg]]

As a result of the earthquake, a tsunami lashed the west coast of the island, probably 4–7 minutes after the main shock. The highest waves were estimated at {{convert|6.0|m|abbr=on}} in Point Agujereada, {{convert|4.5|m|abbr=on}} at Punta Borinquen (where it destroyed the lighthouse),{{cite web|title=Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-punta-borinquen-lighthouse-ruins|access-date=15 June 2019|website=Atlas Obscura}} and {{convert|5.2|m|abbr=on}} at Point Jiguero.{{cite web|url=http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/caribbean/webpages/1918prindex.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050430235749/http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/caribbean/webpages/1918prindex.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 30, 2005|title=1918 PUERTO RICO TSUNAMI|publisher=USC Tsunami Research Group|access-date=August 19, 2018}} Several coastal villages were destroyed, and it has been estimated that 40 people drowned (32 in Aguadilla alone) as a direct result of the tsunami.{{cite web|title=Los Cascos Urbanos Hablan: Aguadilla 2/3|url=https://florida.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/512497ca-8ae5-4ed8-a2ac-953045f6e68f/los-cascos-urbanos-hablan-aguadilla-23/#.YCLv3-hKjIU|website=florida.pbslearningmedia.org/|publisher=Puerto Rico National Endowment for the Humanities|access-date=9 February 2021|language=es}} The earthquake and consequent tsunami destroyed most historic vernacular residences in downtown Aguadilla with only a few, such as the Amparo Roldán residence,{{cite web|author=Jose R. Bourdony|date=July 30, 1984|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Casa de Piedra / Residence Amparo Roldan|url={{NRHP url|id=86000704}}|access-date=December 28, 2016|publisher=National Park Service}} surviving. Many of the historic tombs and mausolea of the historic cemetery were also badly damaged by the waves.{{cite web|author=Jose Rafael Bourdony|date=1984|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Old Urban Cemetery / Cemeterio Municipal|url={{NRHP url|id=85000042}}|access-date=December 24, 2016|publisher=National Park Service}} with {{NRHP url|id=85000042|photos=y|title=eight photos from 1984}}

Several aftershocks were reported immediately after the main earthquake. On October 24 and November 12, two strong aftershocks (6.4 and 6.1 Mw, respectively) were reported on the island.{{Cite web |title=M 6.4 - 6 km WNW of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/iscgem913325/executive |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=earthquake.usgs.gov}}{{Cite web |title=M 6.1 - 18 km NNW of San Antonio, Puerto Rico |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/iscgem913341/executive |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=earthquake.usgs.gov}} However, no damage was reported as a result.

The response from the United States was to exempt the municipalities most affected from paying taxes for a short period immediately following the quake: those municipalities were Mayagüez, Aguada, Aguadilla, Añasco and Isabela. The U.S. appropriated funds for the repair of municipal buildings of the most affected municipalities.{{cite book|author=United States. Congress|title=Congressional Edition|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|issue=v. 7469|year=1919|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yNVGAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103|access-date=July 31, 2019|pages=12–16}}

File:Iglesia Mayaguez 1918.jpg|Cathedral of Mayagüez after the first earthquake; further damage toppled the left tower

File:Terremoto-pr-2.gif|Destroyed brick homes in Mayagüez

File:Epicenters of earthquakes around Puerto Rico in last 100 years.jpg|Map showing the epicenters of all the magnitude 5 and greater earthquakes around Puerto Rico for the last 100 years

File:Aguadilla Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins.jpg|Aguadilla Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins – an 1889 lighthouse destroyed by the tsunami

{{Portal|Puerto Rico|Geology}}

• 1787 Boricua earthquake
• 1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami
• 2019–20 Puerto Rico earthquakes
• Geology of Puerto Rico
• List of disasters in the United States by death toll
• List of earthquakes in 1918
• List of earthquakes in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
• List of earthquakes in the Caribbean

{{Reflist|refs=

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{{citation|title=Significant Earthquake Database|url=https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/struts/form?t=101650&s=1&d=1|author=National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS)|publisher=National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA|doi=10.7289/V5TD9V7K|year=1972}}

{{citation|title=PAGER-CAT Earthquake Catalog|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/static/lfs/data/pager/catalogs/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200313112456/ftp://hazards.cr.usgs.gov/web/data/pager/catalogs/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-03-13|date=September 4, 2009|publisher=United States Geological Survey|series=Version 2008_06.1}}

}}

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070204144822/http://redsismica.uprm.edu/spanish/informacion/terr1918.php "Puerto Rico Seismic Network"] – University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
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• {{EQ-isc-link|913306}}

{{Earthquakes in 1918}}

{{Earthquakes in the Caribbean}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1918 San Fermín earthquake}}

Category:Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

San Fermin Earthquake, 1918

San Fermin Earthquake, 1918

Category:1910s tsunamis

Category:Earthquakes in Puerto Rico