Natural and human caused disasters are part of the recent history of Bocas del Toro. Until the end of the 19th century there are no records of accidents or disasters in the Archipelago.

During the liberal revolution in 1895 the first blooded sucess (a battle) happened in the islands. Again, in 1902, during the "Thousand Days War", Bocas del Toro was scenery of violence, when the revolutionaries conquest the city after a bloody confrontation. The last war related sucess was in 1921 when the costarrican troops invaded Bocas.

In the meantime, in 1904, a big fire burned 160 houses in Bocas, including all public offices, schools, the municipal house and many commercial offices.

Again in 1907, 1918 and 1929, fires destroyed important sectors of the city. Being built almost totally in wood, the ghost of the fire was always pending over the town.

Two tornados, in 1964 and 1975, caused major destruction to the fragil structures of the wooden houses and shops of the Colon Island. The 1964 tornado, that went through part of the Third Street, totally destroyed the old Cathedral Church.

The last big success was the earthquake of April, 1991, with an intensity of 7.1 degreeds in the Ritcher Scale. This earthquake, with epicenter at Limón (Costa Rica), destroyed many old houses in the Province, specially in Changuinola, Almirante and Bocas del Toro, where many buildings fall like tree leeves.

(some information from the book "Arquitectura Caribena" by SAMUEL GUTIERREZ)