What the record shows for Puerto Rico
The strongest earthquake on record near Puerto Rico is a magnitude 7.8 in 1946, centred 16 km NNW of Miches, Dominican Republic - 80 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 757 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Puerto Rico - roughly 38 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 9 tsunamis within 300 km of Puerto Rico between 1867 and 2020. The most significant was in 1946 near Northeastern Coast, triggered by an M7.9 earthquake, which killed around 1,790 people.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Puerto Rico sits beside the deep Puerto Rico Trench and experiences frequent earthquakes.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Puerto Rico.
Earthquake risk in Puerto Rico - FAQ
Is Puerto Rico at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 38 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.8 in 1946.
What was the biggest earthquake in Puerto Rico?
The strongest earthquake on record near Puerto Rico is M7.8, in 1946 (16 km NNW of Miches, Dominican Republic), from USGS.
Does Puerto Rico get tsunamis?
Yes - 9 tsunamis since 1867 (most recently 2020) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 1,790 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Puerto Rico?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.