(Top image) Shaded relief of the new multibeam bathymetry along the Puerto Rico Trench illuminated from the northwest. Thin contours indicate bathymetry at 500-m intervals. (Bottom image) Combined bathymetry map of the multibeam bathymetry data, single-beam bathymetry compilation around Puerto Rico, Lidar data near shore, and topography of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Tsunamis | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Maremotos
Active
By Natural Hazards Mission Area
June 22, 2022
Tsunami probability in the Caribbean Region
Probabilidad de maremotos en la región del Caribe
Probabilidad de maremotos en la región del Caribe
Bathymetry and ancillary data collected in the Puerto Rico Trench
Batimetría y datos auxiliares recolectados en la Fosa de Puerto Rico
Batimetría y datos auxiliares recolectados en la Fosa de Puerto Rico
Tsunamis are long waves formed from a sudden displacement of the sea floor due to a fault rupture, landslide, or volcanic activity. Given that Puerto Rico lies above a subduction zone in the Caribbean Sea, it is especially susceptible to large earthquakes and tsunamis. The greatest tsunami ever recorded in Puerto Rico occurred from an earthquake off the Mona Passage in 1918. The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and the USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program are studying the risks of tsunamis in Puerto Rico and have developed detailed maps of the Caribbean fault traces. On this page, explore all tsunami hazard publications, data releases, and news for Puerto Rico.
Los maremotos son olas largas formadas por un desplazamiento repentino del suelo marino debido a la ruptura de una falla, un deslizamiento de tierra o actividad volcánica. Dado que Puerto Rico reside sobre una zona de subducción en el Mar Caribe, es especialmente susceptible a terremotos y maremotos. El maremoto más grande que se registró en Puerto Rico se produjo debido a un terremoto en el Canal de la Mona en 1918. El Programa sobre los Peligros de los Terremotos del USGS y el Programa de Recursos y Peligros Costeros y Marinos del USGS estudian los riesgos de los maremotos en Puerto Rico y desarrolló mapas detallados de la localización de las fallas del Caribe. Explore las publicaciones, datos y noticias sobre los peligros de maremotos en Puerto Rico en esta página.
Sea Floor Mapping | Mapa del suelo marino
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Figura 1: Morfología y barimetría con sombreados de color de la región nororiental del Caribe. Obtenga más información: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs141-00/fs141-00.pdf
North of Puerto Rico is the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean. This region poses a significant seismic and tsunami risk to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Detailed seafloor mapping can provide a critical perspective for hazard assessment about the origin of the bathymetry, its gravity and development. Learn more about the Puerto Rico Trench.
En el norte de Puerto Rico está la Fosa de Puerto Rico, la parte más profunda del Océano Atlántico. Esta región presenta un riesgo sísmico y de tsunamis significativo para Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes. Los mapas detallados del fondo marino pueden proporcionar una perspectiva crítica para la evaluación de amenazas sobre el origen de la batimetría, su gravedad y desarrollo. Conozca más sobre la Fosa de Puerto Rico.
International Tsunami Information Center - Caribbean Office Collaboration | La colaboración con el Centro Internacional de Información sobre Tsunamis - Oficina del Caribe (ITIC-CAR, por sus siglas en inglés)
The International Tsunami Information Center - Caribbean Office (ITIC-CAR) based out of University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) receives data from seismic monitoring stations managed by the USGS to issue tsunami warnings. USGS also works with NOAA on tsunami evacuation, source characterization, and other tasks, as needed. For official tsunami warnings and information visit the International Tsunami Information Center - Caribbean Office (ITIC-CAR).
El Centro Internacional de Información sobre Tsunamis - Oficina del Caribe (ITIC-CAR, por sus siglas en inglés), localizado en la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Mayagüez (UPRM), recibe datos de las estaciones de vigilancia sísmica, gestionados por el USGS, para emitir alertas de maremotos. El USGS también trabaja con la NOAA en programas de evacuación ante maremotos y la caracterización de sus orígenes. Si desea obtener alertas e información oficial sobre los maremotos, visite el Centro Internacional de Información sobre Tsunamis - Oficina del Caribe (ITIC-CAR, por sus siglas en inglés).
Core Data for Puerto Rico | Muestras de sedimento para Puerto Rio
Tsunamis that have impacted coastal communities in Puerto Rico could had been originated from landslides and earthquakes at the submerged carbonate platform north of Puerto Rico. The USGS, in collaboration with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, has collected core samples in an effort to establish temporal data from past tsunamigenic landslide and earthquake events to provide a better understanding of historical tsunamis and help assess future risks. Learn more.
Los maremotos que han afectado a las comunidades costeras de Puerto Rico podrían haberse originado por deslizamientos de tierra y terremotos en la plataforma carbonatada sumergida al norte de Puerto Rico. El USGS, en colaboración con la Institución Oceanográfica de Woods Hole, ha recolectado muestras de sedimentos como parte de un esfuerzo que busca establecer una base de datos temporales de pasados deslizamientos de tierra y terremotos tsunamigénicos para proveer un mejor entendimiento de los maremotos históricos y evaluar los riesgos futuros. Obtenga más información.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Figura 2: Ubicación de muestras de sedimentos recolectadas de datos archivados y el despliegue del buque de investigación Seward Johnson en el crucero 2008–008–FA (SJ8). Obtenga más información.
Learn more about USGS Puerto Rico hazards research and tools. | Obtenga más información sobre las herramientas e investigaciones del USGS acerca de riesgos en Puerto Rico.
Science
Science
USGS tsunami research is mainly conducted within the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Learn more about the science of tsunamis in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean in the links below.
Ciencias
Ciencias
Las investigaciones sobre tsunamis del USGS son principalmente realizadas dentro del Programa de Riesgos de Terremotos del USGS. Conozca más sobre la ciencia de tsunamis cerca de maremotos en Puerto Rico y el Caribe en los siguientes enlaces.
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico
The island of Puerto Rico is subject to numerous threats from natural hazards, including hurricanes, landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, coastal and inland flooding, environmental contaminants, and freshwater scarcity, among others. USGS science can help citizens better prepare for, mitigate, and adapt to these hazards. This website compiles USGS resources available for Puerto Rico to provide...
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards
Four million U.S. citizens live along the coastlines of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, an earthquake- and tsunami-prone active tectonic plate boundary. A tsunami generated at the subduction zone boundary offshore Puerto Rico could also affect the U.S. Atlantic coast.
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies- Models
The Puerto Rico trench exhibits great water depth, extremely low gravity anomaly, and a tilted carbonate platform between (reconstructed) elevations of +1300 m and -4000 m. we suggest that these features are manifestations of large vertical movements of a segment of the Puerto Rico Trench, its forearc, and the island of Puerto Rico that took place 3.3 m.y. ago over a time period as short as 14-40...
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies-Tsunami Potential
Newly-acquired multibeam bathymetry of the entire Puerto Rico trench reveals numerous retrograde slope failures at various scales at the edge of the carbonate platform north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The slumped material comprises carbonate blocks, which are cohesive and the edge of the carbonate platform is steeper than most continental slopes, resulting in a higher potential runup...
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies- Stress Changes and Earthquake Hazard
Strike-slip faults in the forearc region of a subduction zone often present significant seismic hazard because of their proximity to population centers. We explore the interaction between thrust events on the subduction interface and strike-slip faults within the forearc region using 3-D models of static Coulomb stress change.
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies- Seafloor Map
To help understand the origin of the unusual bathymetry, gravity, and vertical tectonics of the plate boundary and to provide constraints for hazard assessment, the morphology of the entire 770-km-long trench from the Dominican Republic in the west to Anguilla in the east was mapped with multibeam echosounder during three cruises in 2002 and 2003. Parts of the Puerto Rico Trench were previously...
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are located at an active plate boundary between the North American plate and the northeast corner of the Caribbean plate. Plate movements have caused large magnitude earthquakes and devastating tsunamis. The USGS has an ongoing program to identify and map the faults in this region using various geophysical and geological methods in order to estimate the location...
Explore media products on USGS tsunami research on Puerto Rico.
Explore los productos multimedia sobre las investigaciones de maremotos del USGS en Puerto Rico.
Shaded relief and combined bathymetry map of Puerto Rico
(Top image) Shaded relief of the new multibeam bathymetry along the Puerto Rico Trench illuminated from the northwest. Thin contours indicate bathymetry at 500-m intervals. (Bottom image) Combined bathymetry map of the multibeam bathymetry data, single-beam bathymetry compilation around Puerto Rico, Lidar data near shore, and topography of Puerto Rico.
Tsunamis are long waves formed from a sudden displacement of the sea floor due to a fault rupture, landslide, or volcanic activity. Given that Puerto Rico lies above a subduction zone in the Caribbean Sea, it is especially susceptible to large earthquakes and tsunamis. The greatest tsunami ever recorded in Puerto Rico occurred from an earthquake off the Mona Passage in 1918. The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and the USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program are studying the risks of tsunamis in Puerto Rico and have developed detailed maps of the Caribbean fault traces. On this page, explore all tsunami hazard publications, data releases, and news for Puerto Rico.
Los maremotos son olas largas formadas por un desplazamiento repentino del suelo marino debido a la ruptura de una falla, un deslizamiento de tierra o actividad volcánica. Dado que Puerto Rico reside sobre una zona de subducción en el Mar Caribe, es especialmente susceptible a terremotos y maremotos. El maremoto más grande que se registró en Puerto Rico se produjo debido a un terremoto en el Canal de la Mona en 1918. El Programa sobre los Peligros de los Terremotos del USGS y el Programa de Recursos y Peligros Costeros y Marinos del USGS estudian los riesgos de los maremotos en Puerto Rico y desarrolló mapas detallados de la localización de las fallas del Caribe. Explore las publicaciones, datos y noticias sobre los peligros de maremotos en Puerto Rico en esta página.
Sea Floor Mapping | Mapa del suelo marino
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Figura 1: Morfología y barimetría con sombreados de color de la región nororiental del Caribe. Obtenga más información: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs141-00/fs141-00.pdf
North of Puerto Rico is the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean. This region poses a significant seismic and tsunami risk to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Detailed seafloor mapping can provide a critical perspective for hazard assessment about the origin of the bathymetry, its gravity and development. Learn more about the Puerto Rico Trench.
En el norte de Puerto Rico está la Fosa de Puerto Rico, la parte más profunda del Océano Atlántico. Esta región presenta un riesgo sísmico y de tsunamis significativo para Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes. Los mapas detallados del fondo marino pueden proporcionar una perspectiva crítica para la evaluación de amenazas sobre el origen de la batimetría, su gravedad y desarrollo. Conozca más sobre la Fosa de Puerto Rico.
International Tsunami Information Center - Caribbean Office Collaboration | La colaboración con el Centro Internacional de Información sobre Tsunamis - Oficina del Caribe (ITIC-CAR, por sus siglas en inglés)
The International Tsunami Information Center - Caribbean Office (ITIC-CAR) based out of University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) receives data from seismic monitoring stations managed by the USGS to issue tsunami warnings. USGS also works with NOAA on tsunami evacuation, source characterization, and other tasks, as needed. For official tsunami warnings and information visit the International Tsunami Information Center - Caribbean Office (ITIC-CAR).
El Centro Internacional de Información sobre Tsunamis - Oficina del Caribe (ITIC-CAR, por sus siglas en inglés), localizado en la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Mayagüez (UPRM), recibe datos de las estaciones de vigilancia sísmica, gestionados por el USGS, para emitir alertas de maremotos. El USGS también trabaja con la NOAA en programas de evacuación ante maremotos y la caracterización de sus orígenes. Si desea obtener alertas e información oficial sobre los maremotos, visite el Centro Internacional de Información sobre Tsunamis - Oficina del Caribe (ITIC-CAR, por sus siglas en inglés).
Core Data for Puerto Rico | Muestras de sedimento para Puerto Rio
Tsunamis that have impacted coastal communities in Puerto Rico could had been originated from landslides and earthquakes at the submerged carbonate platform north of Puerto Rico. The USGS, in collaboration with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, has collected core samples in an effort to establish temporal data from past tsunamigenic landslide and earthquake events to provide a better understanding of historical tsunamis and help assess future risks. Learn more.
Los maremotos que han afectado a las comunidades costeras de Puerto Rico podrían haberse originado por deslizamientos de tierra y terremotos en la plataforma carbonatada sumergida al norte de Puerto Rico. El USGS, en colaboración con la Institución Oceanográfica de Woods Hole, ha recolectado muestras de sedimentos como parte de un esfuerzo que busca establecer una base de datos temporales de pasados deslizamientos de tierra y terremotos tsunamigénicos para proveer un mejor entendimiento de los maremotos históricos y evaluar los riesgos futuros. Obtenga más información.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Figura 2: Ubicación de muestras de sedimentos recolectadas de datos archivados y el despliegue del buque de investigación Seward Johnson en el crucero 2008–008–FA (SJ8). Obtenga más información.
Learn more about USGS Puerto Rico hazards research and tools. | Obtenga más información sobre las herramientas e investigaciones del USGS acerca de riesgos en Puerto Rico.
Science
Science
USGS tsunami research is mainly conducted within the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Learn more about the science of tsunamis in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean in the links below.
Ciencias
Ciencias
Las investigaciones sobre tsunamis del USGS son principalmente realizadas dentro del Programa de Riesgos de Terremotos del USGS. Conozca más sobre la ciencia de tsunamis cerca de maremotos en Puerto Rico y el Caribe en los siguientes enlaces.
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico
The island of Puerto Rico is subject to numerous threats from natural hazards, including hurricanes, landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, coastal and inland flooding, environmental contaminants, and freshwater scarcity, among others. USGS science can help citizens better prepare for, mitigate, and adapt to these hazards. This website compiles USGS resources available for Puerto Rico to provide...
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards
Four million U.S. citizens live along the coastlines of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, an earthquake- and tsunami-prone active tectonic plate boundary. A tsunami generated at the subduction zone boundary offshore Puerto Rico could also affect the U.S. Atlantic coast.
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies- Models
The Puerto Rico trench exhibits great water depth, extremely low gravity anomaly, and a tilted carbonate platform between (reconstructed) elevations of +1300 m and -4000 m. we suggest that these features are manifestations of large vertical movements of a segment of the Puerto Rico Trench, its forearc, and the island of Puerto Rico that took place 3.3 m.y. ago over a time period as short as 14-40...
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies-Tsunami Potential
Newly-acquired multibeam bathymetry of the entire Puerto Rico trench reveals numerous retrograde slope failures at various scales at the edge of the carbonate platform north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The slumped material comprises carbonate blocks, which are cohesive and the edge of the carbonate platform is steeper than most continental slopes, resulting in a higher potential runup...
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies- Stress Changes and Earthquake Hazard
Strike-slip faults in the forearc region of a subduction zone often present significant seismic hazard because of their proximity to population centers. We explore the interaction between thrust events on the subduction interface and strike-slip faults within the forearc region using 3-D models of static Coulomb stress change.
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies- Seafloor Map
To help understand the origin of the unusual bathymetry, gravity, and vertical tectonics of the plate boundary and to provide constraints for hazard assessment, the morphology of the entire 770-km-long trench from the Dominican Republic in the west to Anguilla in the east was mapped with multibeam echosounder during three cruises in 2002 and 2003. Parts of the Puerto Rico Trench were previously...
Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are located at an active plate boundary between the North American plate and the northeast corner of the Caribbean plate. Plate movements have caused large magnitude earthquakes and devastating tsunamis. The USGS has an ongoing program to identify and map the faults in this region using various geophysical and geological methods in order to estimate the location...
Explore media products on USGS tsunami research on Puerto Rico.
Explore los productos multimedia sobre las investigaciones de maremotos del USGS en Puerto Rico.
Shaded relief and combined bathymetry map of Puerto Rico
(Top image) Shaded relief of the new multibeam bathymetry along the Puerto Rico Trench illuminated from the northwest. Thin contours indicate bathymetry at 500-m intervals. (Bottom image) Combined bathymetry map of the multibeam bathymetry data, single-beam bathymetry compilation around Puerto Rico, Lidar data near shore, and topography of Puerto Rico.
(Top image) Shaded relief of the new multibeam bathymetry along the Puerto Rico Trench illuminated from the northwest. Thin contours indicate bathymetry at 500-m intervals. (Bottom image) Combined bathymetry map of the multibeam bathymetry data, single-beam bathymetry compilation around Puerto Rico, Lidar data near shore, and topography of Puerto Rico.