TheCaribbean Basin is located in a complex tectonic setting, shaped by the interactions of theCaribbean Plate with surrounding plates, featuring distinct zones of deformation: in the west, bordered by major transform faults such as theOriente and Swan faults near Cuba and the Cayman Islands; in the center, marked by theSeptentrional Fault and thePuerto Rico Trench, where oblique convergence and subduction occur; and in the east, defined by the activeLesser Antilles subduction zone, where the Atlantic oceanic crust descends beneath the Caribbean arc, generating intense seismic and volcanic activity.
The following is a list ofmajor or notable earthquakes that have directly affected the Caribbean region; it includes earthquakes measuring at least 6.5 magnitude or earthquakes which have directly caused life loss, injuries or significant damage to the region.
| Date | Region | Mag. | MMI | Deaths | Injuries | Comments | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-10 | Cuba | 6.8Mw | VIII | – | 10 | [1] | |
| 2022-03-23 | Haiti | 5.1Mw | VIII | – | 5 | Some damage | [2][3] |
| 2021-08-14 | Haiti | 7.2Mw | VIII | 2,248 | 12,763 | Severe damage | |
| 2020-01-28 | Jamaica,Cuba,Cayman Islands | 7.7Mw | VI | – | – | 0.3–1 meter tsunami | |
| 2020-01-07 | Puerto Rico | 6.4Mw | VIII | 4 | 9 | Strongest earthquake in a 2+ year sequence | |
| 2018-10-07 | Haiti | 5.9Mw | VI | 18 | 548 | ||
| 2018-08-21 | Venezuela,Trinidad | 7.3Mw | VII | 5 | 122 | ||
| 2017-09-02 | Haiti | 4.3Mw | IV | – | 1 | Some damage | [4] |
| 2010-01-12 | Haiti | 7.0Mw | X | 100,000–316,000 | – | Extreme damage and minor damaging tsunami | |
| 2007-11-29 | Martinique | 7.4Mw | VI–VII | 6 | 402 | ||
| 2004-12-14 | Cayman Islands | 6.8Mw | VI | – | – | [5] | |
| 2004-11-21 | Guadeloupe,Dominica | 6.3Mw | VII | 1 | 13 | Non-destructive tsunami | |
| 2003-09-22 | Dominican Republic | 6.4Mw | VII | 3 | – | Dozens of injuries | |
| 1997-04-22 | Trinidad and Tobago | 6.7Mw | VII | – | 2 | Damage | [6] |
| 1994-03-02 | Haiti | 5.4Mw | V | 4 | – | Damage | [7] |
| 1993-01-13 | Jamaica | 5.5Mw | VI | 1 | – | Some damage | [8] |
| 1992-05-25 | Cuba | 6.8Mw | VI | – | 40 | [9] | |
| 1985-03-16 | Saint Kitts & Nevis | 6.5Mw | VI | – | – | [10] | |
| 1984-06-24 | Dominican Republic | 6.7Mw | VII | 5 | – | Limited damage / tsunami | |
| 1974-10-08 | Antigua & Barbuda | 6.9Mw | VIII | – | 4 | ||
| 1971-06-11 | Dominican Republic | 6.5Mw | V | – | 51 | [11] | |
| 1969-12-25 | Guadeloupe | 7.2Mw | IV | – | – | [12] | |
| 1962-04-20 | Haiti | 6.6Mw | VI | – | – | [13] | |
| 1953-05-31 | Dominican Republic | 6.6Mw | VII | – | – | Some damage | [14] |
| 1953-03-19 | Saint Lucia | 7.3Mw | VII | – | – | [15] | |
| 1948-04-21 | Dominican Republic | 7.1Mw | VII | – | – | [16] | |
| 1947-08-06 | Cuba | 6.6Mw | VI | – | – | [17] | |
| 1946-08-08 | Dominican Republic | 7.0Mw | VII | – | – | Aftershock; extensive damage | [18] |
| 1946-08-04 | Dominican Republic | 7.8Mw | IX | 2,550 | – | Extensive damage, destructive tsunami | |
| 1943-07-29 | Puerto Rico | 7.7Mw | VII | – | – | Moderate damage | [19] |
| 1941-04-07 | Jamaica | 6.8Mw | VI | – | – | [20] | |
| 1932-02-03 | Cuba | 6.7Mw | VI | 8–12 | 300 | [21] | |
| 1918-10-11 | Puerto Rico | 7.1Mw | IX | 76–116 | – | Extensive damage, destructive tsunami | |
| 1917-07-26 | Dominican Republic | 6.8Mw | – | – | – | [22] | |
| 1917-02-20 | Cuba | 7.1Mw | – | – | – | [23] | |
| 1916-04-23 | Dominican Republic | 6.8Mw | – | – | – | [24] | |
| 1914-10-03 | Guadeloupe | 7.0Mw | – | – | – | [25] | |
| 1911-10-06 | Dominican Republic | 6.7Mw | – | – | – | [26] | |
| 1910-01-23 | Trinidad & Tobago | 6.5Mw | – | – | – | [27] | |
| 1907-01-14 | Jamaica | 6.2Mw | – | 800–1,000 | – | Tsunami | |
| 1906-12-03 | Martinique | 7.2Mw | – | – | – | [28] | |
| 1900-10-29 | Venezuela | 7.7Mw | IX | 140 | 50+ | Extensive damage and tsunami | [29] |
| 1868-03-17 | Virgin Islands | 6.5Mh | – | – | – | [30] | |
| 1867-11-18 | Virgin Islands | 7.2Mw | X | 50–100+ | – | Destructive tsunami | |
| 1843-02-08 | Lesser Antilles | 8.5Mw | IX | 1,500–5,000 | – | Extreme damage | [31] |
| 1842-05-07 | Hispaniola | 7.6MI | IX | 5,300 | – | Severe damage and destructive tsunami | [32] |
| 1839-01-11 | Martinique | 7.5–8.0Mw | IX | 390–4,000 | – | Severe damage | |
| 1787-05-02 | Puerto Rico | 6.9MI | – | – | – | Severe damage and tsunami | |
| 1770-06-03 | Haiti | 7.5Mw | X | 250+ | – | Severe damage and tsunami | |
| 1766-10-21 | Venezuela,Trinidad | 6.5–7.5Ms | IX | – | – | Severe damage | |
| 1766-06-11 | Cuba | 6.8Ms | IX | 34–40 | 700 | Extensive damage | |
| 1751-11-21 | Haiti | 8.0Ms | – | – | – | Severe damafe | |
| 1692-06-07 | Jamaica | 7.5Mw | – | ~5,000 | – | Tsunami.Port Royal destroyed | |
| 1690-04-16 | Antigua,Saint Kitts and Nevis | 8.0Ms | IX | – | – | Destructive tsunami. Some deaths | [33] |
| 1615-09-07 | Hispaniola | 7.5MI | – | – | – | Damage | [34] |
| 1562-12-02 | Hispaniola | 7.7MI | – | – | – | Concepción de la Vega destroyed | [35] |
| Note: The inclusion criteria for adding events are based onWikiProject Earthquakes'notability guideline that was developed for stand alone articles. The principles described also apply to lists. In summary, only damaging, injurious, or deadly events should be recorded. | |||||||
Sources