Magnitude 9.0 Mw Tsunami 18 m (59 ft) Date 5 November 1952 | Max. intensity XI (Extreme) Casualties 2,336 dead | |
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Similar Kamchatka earthquakes, 1906 Ecuador–Colombia earthquake, 1964 Alaska earthquake, 1868 Arica earthquake, 1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake | ||
The 1952 Severo-Kurilsk Tsunami was a major tsunami that hit Severo-Kurilsk, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR, which occurred on 5 November 1952 at about 5 a.m. It led to the destruction of many settlements in Sakhalin Oblast and Kamchatka Oblast, while the main impact struck the town of Severo-Kurilsk.
The tsunami was generated by a major earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, 130 kilometers (81 mi) from the shore of Kamchatka, with an estimated magnitude of 9.0. There were three waves about 15–18 meters (49–59 ft) high. After the earthquake the majority of the Severo-Kurilsk citizens fled to the surrounding hills, where they escaped the first wave. However, most of them returned to the town and were killed by the second wave. The third wave was minor. According to the authorities, out of a population of 6,000 people, 2,336 died. The remaining survivors were evacuated to continental Russia. The settlement was then rebuilt in another location.