‘Earthquake at Carracas”

Date

4-23-1812

Newspaper

National Intelligencer

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 3

Newspaper Location

Washington, D. C.

Serial Number

988

Abstract

Long article on earthquake at Carracas, Venezuela

Transcript

EARTHQUAKE AT CARRACCAS. Baltimore, April 21. By captain Betts, from Laguira, 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 Carracas, and all the neighboring village-ten thousand people were buried in the ruins-two thousand five hundred in Laguira-one American only perished, viz. Mr. Crowell of New 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 bodies form under the ruins, putting them in large lighters, carrying them outside of the shipping & 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 burned about forty at a time in one fire. On 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 five, the Independence sailed, so that she could not tell what damage had been done. C. H. Books. Mr. Lowry, our commercial agent at LaGuayra, intended to leave that place, in consequence of the earthquake, for Porto Cavello. Extract of a letter from a gentleman in La Guayra to his correspondent in this city, dated La Guayra, April 4, 1812. "The dreadful earthquake which has laid in ruins the cities of Carracas and La Guayra, and the adjacent country, by which more than 5000 houses have been destroyed, happened on the 26th of March, at 7 minutes past 4 o'clock, the explosion was so violent that in buried in its ruins more than eight or ten thousand persons."--Sun. Extract of a letter received per the schr. Independence from La Guayra. "A few days prior to our arrival, this town was almost destroyed by an earthquake; it commenced about 4 o'clock, P. M. on Thursday the 26th of March; its effects horribly destructive; since my arrival, there have been a few shocks, but no material damage done. Such is the alarm of the inhabitants that the town is entirely desterted, and they are now living without the Walls, beneath little tents and huts which are erected merely to shelter them from the rain and heat of the sun. "It is not within the compass of my ability to describe to you the misery of these people; fear and despair, grief and ruin, have completely overwhelmed them. Parents have escaped, with the loss of their children; children with the loss of their parents, and very few without the loss of their property. Already five hundred persons have been found, and the probability is, that a greater number still remains buried beneath the ruins. The destruction at Carracas is much greater; 2,500 bodies have been thrown upon the funeral pile, and burned already, and is supposed, that from from 5 to 10,000 souls are lost. Out of 40 churches in that place two convents only remain standing. Such is the lamentable situation of these two places, that it will be a long time, before they can be reinstated. No business of any nature is doing. All the Americans here will go to Puerto Cabello."--ib.

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