Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
The tsunami was recorded well by the mareograph on Naos island, situated 5 km
to the south of Panama. With the arrival of the tsunami the water surrounding the
island became turbid.
CENTRAL AMERICA (FROM COSTA RICA TO MEXICO)
52.
1787, April 3, 9,5-10 h.
Apparently, a most strong aftershock of the 28 April 1787 earthquake with
the source near San Marcos
In some coastal points, situated 18 km from Tehuantepec, at the same time as
the earthquake, an unusual movement of the water was observed, which was ac-
companied by a menacing roar. Fish and shells of enormous sizes, not seen be-
fore, were thrown onto the shore. The same phenomenon took place on the coast at
Pochutla and Jucila.
53.
1883, March 12.
According to news from Cuautla (Mexico, state of Jalisco), the ocean left its
usual bed along a significant part of the coast and receded from the shore by a sig-
nificant distance, so that various elevations and depressions of the ocean bed were
uncovered and dried. How long the ebb tide continued is not known, but after some
time the ocean returned with quite a loud noise and quite rapidly to its previous
state.
No information on any earthquake was received. The next day a hurricane with
pouring rain broke out in this locality.
USA, CANADA, SOUTH-EAST OF ALASKA
54.
1812, December 21, 10 h 30 min.
A strong earthquake occurred at the south of California, accompanied by an
'enormous' tsunami in the strait at Santa Barbara.
The sea at Santa Barbara was calm.
55.
1851, November 13, 19 h.
A shock was felt in San Francisco; people on board a vessel experienced 'unusual
movement of the water'.
56.
1899, September 10, 12 h 15 min.
Catastrophic earthquake with source at the top of Yakutat Bay. Tectonic move-
ments caused numerous falls and slides, tsunamis.
The waves left plenty of dead fish on the shore.
Vortexes formed in the Bay, in which trees, flotsam and all kind of debris spinned
around so fast, that it was difficult to keep an eye on individual objects. The water
foamed and was covered all over with white caps.
On September 12, one of the inhabitants going by steamboat from Yakutat to
Juneau noticed a belt of turbid water and a mass of floating trees in the ocean be-
tween Yakutat and the Fairweather mountain range.
57.
1946, June 23, 10 h 13 min.
A most strong earthquake occurred in the west of Canada and the north-west of
the USA with its source in the central part of the eastern coast of Vancouver Island.
On Quadra Island, the forest-guard noticed that the water, which before was
transparent, had become turbid; fish bit badly for 2 weeks.
