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The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
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Extracts from letters dated April 24 from Barbados report a minor earthquake around 7 AM lasting about a minute with no major damage, followed by unusual ebbing and flowing of the sea for 20-30 minutes, oversetting some boats but causing no other harm. Speculation links it to a possible European earthquake similar to Lisbon's.
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Extract of a letter from Barbados, dated April 24.
"About seven o'clock this morning we had a shock of an earthquake, which lasted about a minute, but did no damage; about fifteen minutes after, the sea on a sudden fell several feet (it being low water) and left the ground in the dock bare, then rose again several feet, so that the water would have come over the wharf, had not the tide been out; immediately after it fell so low as to leave the boats dry on the ground, and directly the sea came tumbling in again with great force, then rushed back with the same rapidity, and continued ebbing and flowing in this manner about half an hour. It is imagined, from these appearances, that a dreadful earthquake has happened in some part of Europe, as the earthquake at Lisbon occasioned the same flux and reflux of water here, though it was not attended with an earthquake."
Extract of another letter from Barbados, of the same date.
"About seven o'clock this morning we had here a severe shock of an earthquake, which continued a full minute, but has done no damage, and shortly after succeeded by a flux and reflux of the water for about twenty minutes and more, and fell several different times eight or nine feet perpendicular, but did no damage, save oversetting and filling several boats lying at the wharfs."
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Where did it happen?
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Barbados
Event Date
April 24
Outcome
no major damage; some boats overset and filled with water.
Event Details
A shock of earthquake occurred around seven o'clock in the morning, lasting about a minute. Shortly after, the sea experienced sudden falls and rises of several feet, ebbing and flowing rapidly for about half an hour, leaving docks and boats dry at times and nearly flooding wharves. Speculated to be connected to a distant earthquake in Europe, similar to the Lisbon event.