1839 Martinique earthquake

1839 Martinique earthquake
Local date11 January 1839
Local time06:00 am AST
Magnitude7.7–7.8 Ms
7.5–8.0 Mw
Depth33 km
Epicenter14°30′N 60°30′W / 14.5°N 60.5°W / 14.5; -60.5
TypeMegathrust
Areas affectedLesser Antilles
Total damage> 15 million Francs
Max. intensityMMI IX (Violent)
TsunamiNone
LandslidesYes
Casualties390–4,000 dead
28,975 injured

The 1839 Martinique earthquake occurred on the morning of January 11 with an estimated magnitude of 7.8 Ms, the largest in the Lesser Antilles since 1690. The maximum intensity of this earthquake was assigned IX on both the Mercalli and MSK intensity scales, which left the cities of Saint-Pierre and Fort Royal almost completely destroyed. Estimation on the number of human losses varies from 390 to 4,000 making this one of the deadliest earthquakes in the Caribbean.