Historical tsunamis · Jan 27, 1949, 11:00 AM UTC
1949 Kamchatka tsunami
Russia
The tsunami of Jan 27, 1949, 11:00 AM UTC originated near Kamchatka (Russia).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 27, 1949, 11:00 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M5.9
- Depth
- 150 km
- Maximum documented water height
- —
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake at a depth of 150 km.
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Adak, Sweeper Cove, Ak (United States) after 4:50 h.
Map of observation sites
1Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Tsunami arrival times
Documented arrival times from the NOAA/NCEI database, showing the earliest recorded location per country. Coverage is incomplete: a country without an entry was not necessarily spared.
- 0:00 hEarthquake (origin) · Jan 27, 1949, 11:00 AM UTC
- 4:50 hUnited States · Adak, Sweeper Cove, Ak · 0.08 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States | 1 | 0.08 m Adak, Sweeper Cove, Ak | — | 4:50 h |
Highest documented water heights
1 / 1Individual documented observations for this event. Heights come from different measurement types and sources; not every location has a measured height.
| Location / station | Observed height | Distance from source | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adak, Sweeper Cove, Ak · Ak | 0.08 m | 1,356 km | United States |
More tsunamis
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Historical Tsunami Database. Confirmed events only. Deaths and damage are database estimates; older records are incomplete. Water heights come from different types of observation.