Historical tsunamis · Jul 15, 1853
1853 Cumana tsunami
Venezuela
The tsunami of Jul 15, 1853 originated near Cumana (Venezuela).
Key facts
- Date
- Jul 15, 1853
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.7
- Maximum documented water height
- 5.00 m
- Deaths
- 1,000
- Injuries
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 5.00 m (Puerto Sucre, Venezuela).
3 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 1,000 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
3Each 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 | 3 | 5.00 m Puerto Sucre | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
3 / 3Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Sucre | 5.00 m | 4 km | Venezuela |
| Caguire | — | 7 km | Venezuela |
| Salado | — | 4 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.