Tsunamis in Russia
A total of 33 tidal waves classified as a tsunami since 1737 have killed 4,070 people in Russia. Tsunamis therefore occur comparatively often in this country.The strongest tidal wave registered in Russia so far reached a height of 90 meters. On 12/11/2018, no losses of human lifes have been registered by this tsunami.
The biggest impact in terms of lifes, injuries, destroyed homes and the economy had been a tsunami on 11/04/1952. A tidal wave of up to 23 meters killed 4,009 humans and destroyed vast areas.
Other natural hazards in Russia:
› Volcanoes
› Earthquakes
› Typhoons
› The most severe tsunamis in the world
Back to overview: Russia
Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes or other seismic eruptions on ground of an oceans and can cause massive tidal waves, which run with enormous force on land, causing great devastation. Especially in regions with only few tsunamis, the damage is often drastic, as the population does not expect tsunamis and thus hardly takes any protective measures. Even relatively small flood waves can lead to high losses and financial damage.The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 290 years.
The largest tsunamis in Russia since 1841
| Date | Cause | Max. tidal wave | Fatalities | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/11/2018 | Earthquakes in Panama (Panama: Colon, Panama City) with a magnitude of 5.4. | 90 m | 0 | |
| 03/11/2011 | Earthquakes in Japan (Honshu Island) with a magnitude of 9.1. The tsunami caused damages in 11 further countries. A total of 18,431 humans died. | 2.5 m | 0 | |
| 02/27/2010 | Earthquakes in Chile (Central Chile) with a magnitude of 8.8. The tsunami also reached Chile, French Polynesia, United States, New Zealand. A total of 156 humans died. | 1.1 m | 0 | |
| 08/02/2007 | Earthquakes in Russia (Tatar Strait) with a magnitude of 6.2. | 3.2 m | 0 | |
| 11/15/2006 | Earthquakes in Russia (S. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 8.3. | 21.90 m | 0 | |
| 12/14/1997 | Landslide in Russia (Kamchatka) | 8 m | 0 | |
| 12/05/1997 | Earthquakes in Russia (Kamchatka) with a magnitude of 7.8. | 8 m | 0 | |
| 01/02/1996 | Volcano in Russia (Karymskoye, Kamchatka, Russia) | 30 m | 0 | |
| 10/04/1994 | Earthquakes in Russia (S. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 8.3. | 10.40 m | 0 | |
| 07/12/1993 | Earthquakes in Japan (Sea Of Japan) with a magnitude of 7.7. The tsunami also reached South Korea, North Korea, Japan. A total of 208 humans died. | 6 m | 3 | |
| 05/26/1983 | Earthquakes in Japan (Noshiro, Japan) with a magnitude of 7.8. The tsunami also reached Japan, South Korea. A total of 100 humans died. | 8 m | 0 | |
| 06/10/1975 | Earthquakes in Russia (S. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 7.0. | 5.5 m | 0 | |
| 06/17/1973 | Earthquakes in Japan (Hokkaido Island) with a magnitude of 7.7. | 1.5 m | 0 | |
| 02/28/1973 | Earthquakes in Russia (N. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 7.2. | 1.5 m | 0 | |
| 09/05/1971 | Earthquakes in Russia (Tatar Strait) with a magnitude of 7.1. | 2 m | 0 | |
| 11/22/1969 | Earthquakes in Russia (Kamchatka) with a magnitude of 7.7. The tsunami also reached United States, Outlying Islands. | 15 m | 0 | |
| 08/11/1969 | Earthquakes in Russia (S. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 8.2. | 5 m | 0 | |
| 10/20/1963 | Earthquakes in Russia (S. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 7.9. | 15 m | 0 | |
| 10/13/1963 | Earthquakes in Russia (S. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 8.5. | 4.5 m | 0 | |
| 05/22/1960 | Earthquakes in Chile (Southern Chile) with a magnitude of 9.5. The tsunami caused damages in 13 further countries. A total of 2,226 humans died. | 7 m | 0 | |
| 11/06/1958 | Earthquakes in Russia (S. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 8.3. | 5 m | 0 | |
| 03/17/1953 | Earthquakes in Russia (N. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 5.8. | 3 m | 0 | |
| 11/04/1952 | Earthquakes in Russia (Kamchatka) with a magnitude of 9.0. The tsunami caused damages in 11 further countries. A total of 10,000 humans died. | 23 m | 4,009 | |
| 08/01/1940 | Earthquakes in Japan (W. Hokkaido Island) with a magnitude of 7.5. The tsunami also reached Japan, North Korea. A total of 10 humans died. | 3.5 m | 0 | |
| 01/08/1933 | Volcano in Russia (Kharimkotan, N. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 6.0. | 9 m | 0 | |
| 04/13/1923 | Earthquakes in Russia (Kamchatka) with a magnitude of 7.2. The tsunami also reached South Korea, United States. | 20 m | 18 | |
| 02/03/1923 | Earthquakes in Russia (Kamchatka) with a magnitude of 8.3. | 8 m | 2 | |
| 09/07/1918 | Earthquakes in Russia (S. Kuril Islands) with a magnitude of 8.2. The tsunami also reached United States, Japan. | 12 m | 23 | |
| 03/22/1894 | Earthquakes in Japan (Se. Hokkaido Island) with a magnitude of 7.9. | 3 m | 0 | |
| 05/17/1841 | Earthquakes in Russia (Kamchatka) with a magnitude of 8.4. | 15 m | 0 |
These evaluations are based on data from the Global Historical Tsunami Database of the National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, and World Data Service (NGDC/WDS), doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Individual data have been summarized or translated.
Recent earthquakes and their magnitudes in Russia
Active volcanoes and eruptions in Russia
Active volcanoes and eruptions in the United States