Historical tsunamis · August 1530
1530 Cumana tsunami
Venezuela
The tsunami of August 1530 originated near Cumana (Venezuela).
Key facts
- Date
- August 1530
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Maximum documented water height
- 7.30 m
- Deaths
- 4
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 4
- Countries affected
- 1
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 7.30 m (Paria, Venezuela).
4 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 4 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
4Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | 4 | 7.30 m Paria | 4 | — |
Highest documented water heights
4 / 4Individual documented observations for this event. Heights come from different measurement types and sources; not every location has a measured height.
| Location / station | Observed height | Distance from source | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paria | 7.30 m | 212 km | Venezuela |
| Cumana | 6.00 m | 26 km | Venezuela |
| Isla Cubagua | 6.00 m | 16 km | Venezuela |
| Cariaco Gulf | 2.00 m | 35 km | Venezuela |
More tsunamis
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Historical Tsunami Database. Confirmed events only. Deaths and damage are database estimates; older records are incomplete. Water heights come from different types of observation.