“Baltimore, April 20”

Date

4-24-1812

Newspaper

Petersburg Intelligencer

Page and Column

Page 2, Column 2

Newspaper Location

Petersburg, Virginia

Serial Number

1037

Abstract

Report on the March 26, 1812 earthquake at Laguria.

Transcript

BALTIMORE, April 20. By captain Betts, from Lauira, we learn, that on the 26th of March at 4 o'clock P. M. there was a very severe shock of an EARTHQUAKE, which destroyed nearly the whole of the city of Carraccas, and all the town of Laguira, with all the neighboring villages-ten thousand people were buried in the ruins-two thousand five hundred in Laguira.-one American only perished, viz. Mr. COWELL, of N. York. Four shocks were heard and felt on the night following, not heavy enough to do any damage. On the 27th, the survivors were employed in digging the dead from under the ruins, putting them in large lighters carrying them outside of the shipping, and burying them in the sea.-On the 28th, the sea was so rough as to prevent them taking the dead off-then they built a large fire near the wharf, and commenced burning them, and buried about forty at a time in one fire. On the 29th, the stench had become so bad that they quit digging the dead from under the ruins. All the survivors pitched tents on the plains of Magetere. On the 4th of April there was a very hard shock, which made the vessels tremble as if they had been on a reef of rocks in a heavy sea; and from on board the Independence, we could see the mountains move like a ship in a heavy sea, and large pieces scaling off them. At half past 5, the Independence sailed, so that we could not tell what damage had been done. C. H. Books. Robert K. Lowry, Esq. writes from Laguira, under date of third inst. and mentions the confusion and dismay as indescribable; following the destruction by earthquake, is a terrible scene of robbery. He was preparing to sail immediately, with what he could snatch from the hands of plunderers, to Porto Cavello, which had escaped the shock.

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