Historic Tsunami

1963 Russia Tsunami

20 October 1963 · South Kuril Islands · Russia

On 20 October 1963 at 00:53 UTC, a tsunami formed near South Kuril Islands, Russia. It was caused by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake. Waves reached up to 15.0 m high. It was observed at 22 locations in 6 countries or territories, up to 9,193 km from its source.

Date

20 October 1963

Time

00:53 UTC

Cause

Earthquake

Earthquake Magnitude

7.9

Highest Wave

15.0 m

Observation Sites

22

Furthest Reach

9,193 km

Source Country

Russia

Triggering Earthquake

M 7.9, 1963

Countries and Territories Reached

Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.

• 8Russia · 15.0 m
• 8United States of America · 0.4 m
• 3Japan · 0.4 m
• 1Marshall Islands, Rep. Of · 0.1 m
• 1Federated States of Micronesia · 0.1 m
• 1French Polynesia

Highest Waves

• 15.0 mUrup Island, Cape Van Der Linda · Russia · 128 km
• 8.0 mIturup Island, September Bay · Russia · 172 km
• 0.8 mMalokuril'Skaya Bay, Shikotan · Russia · 315 km
• 0.5 mYuzhno-Kuril'Sk, Kunashir Island · Russia · 384 km
• 0.5 mBurevestnik, Iturup I., Kurilskiye · Russia · 233 km
• 0.5 mSernovodsk, Kunashir · Russia · 405 km
• 0.4 mKahului, Maui, Hi · United States of America · 5,499 km
• 0.4 mMatua, Kurilskiye · Russia · 422 km
• 0.4 mHanasaki · Japan · 433 km
• 0.3 mIturup Island, Kurilskiye · Russia · 243 km

Other Major Tsunamis in the Region

• 2006South Kuril Islands, Russia · 21.9 m
• 1994South Kuril Islands, Russia · 10.4 m11 deaths
• 1975South Kuril Islands, Russia · 5.5 m
• 1973Hokkaido Island, Japan · 6.0 m
• 1958South Kuril Islands, Russia · 5.0 m
• 1918South Kuril Islands, Russia · 12.0 m23 deaths

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth