A Tsunami in the Caribbean Honduras in 1856 according to records of the National Library of France

Abstract

The National Library of France (BnF) is one of the most important libraries in the world. It houses books containing valuable scientific information about Honduras, particularly from the 19th century. For example, the book *Tremblements de Terre et éruptions volcaniques au Centre Amérique* provides an account of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Central America from the conquest through the 19th century (De Ballore, 1888). Of particular note is the account of the tsunami that struck the Honduran Caribbean coast in August 1856, described by several authors and documented in the book *Les Tremblements De Terre* by Boscowitz (1885). The account and image are freely accessible at gallica.bnf.fr/Bibliothèque nationale de France.