World Map › Major Tsunamis Since 1900 › 1952
Historic Tsunami
1952 Russia Tsunami
4 November 1952 · Kamchatka · Russia
On 4 November 1952 at 16:58 UTC, a tsunami formed near Kamchatka, Russia. It was caused by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake. Waves reached up to 23.0 m high. It was observed at 330 locations in 20 countries or territories, up to 15,564 km from its source. It killed at least 10,000 people. It is the 14th deadliest and the 47th highest of the tsunamis recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 4 November 1952
- Time
- 16:58 UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake Magnitude
- 9.0
- Highest Wave
- 23.0 m
- Observation Sites
- 330
- Furthest Reach
- 15,564 km
- Deaths
- 10,000
- Estimated Damage
- 1 million US dollars
- Source Country
- Russia
- Triggering Earthquake
- 1952 Severo-Kurilsk Tsunami
Countries and Territories Reached
Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.
- 45Russia · 23.0 m4,009 deaths
- 132United States of America · 6.1 m
- 102Japan · 3.0 m
- 4Papua New Guinea · 2.4 m
- 1Ecuador · 1.9 m
- 6Chile · 1.8 m
- 7Samoa · 1.4 m
- 3Mexico · 1.1 m
- 9New Zealand · 1.0 m
- 1New Caledonia · 1.0 m
- 1El Salvador · 0.6 m
- 1Costa Rica · 0.3 m
Highest Waves
- 23.0 mKurbatova Cape, Shumshu Island · Russia · 324 km
- 18.4 mKitovaia Bay, Paramushir Island · Russia · 419 km
- 15.0 mKhodutka Bay, Kamchatka · Russia · 175 km
- 15.0 mPiratkova Bay · Russia · 147 km
- 14.0 mS of Kitovaia Bay, Paramushir Is. · Russia · 430 km
- 13.0 mKronotsky, Kamchatka · Russia · 217 km
- 13.0 mOlga Bay · Russia · 2,080 km
- 10.0 mPovorotnyy, Kamchatka · Russia · 152 km
- 10.0 mOnekotan I, Kurilskiye · Russia · 536 km
- 10.0 mSevero-Kurilsk, Paramushir Island · Russia · 356 km4,000 deaths
Other Major Tsunamis in the Region
- 2025Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia · 17.0 m1 deaths
- 1997Kamchatka, Russia · 8.0 m
- 1997Kamchatka, Russia · 8.0 m
- 1996Karymskoye, Kamchatka, Russia · 30.0 m
- 1923Kamchatka, Russia · 20.0 m18 deaths
- 1923Kamchatka, Russia · 8.0 m3 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth