Port Royal Sinks: Earthquake Destroys Pirate Capital
A catastrophic earthquake obliterated Port Royal, Jamaica, killing 1,600 people in three minutes and plunging two-thirds of the city beneath the sea. The Caribbean's wealthiest port, notorious as a haven for pirates and privateers, was so thoroughly destroyed that contemporary preachers declared it divine punishment for the city's wickedness.
June 7, 1692
334 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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