Historical tsunamis · Nov 4, 1952, 4:58 PM UTC
1952 Kamchatka tsunami
Russia
The tsunami of Nov 4, 1952, 4:58 PM UTC originated near Kamchatka (Russia).
Key facts
- Date
- Nov 4, 1952, 4:58 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M9.0
- Depth
- 22 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 23.0 m
- Deaths
- 10,000
- Damage
- US$ 1.0 million
- Observation records
- 329
- Countries affected
- 24
It was triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake at a depth of 22 km.
The highest documented water height was 23.0 m (Kurbatova Cape, Shumshu Island, Russia).
329 observation sites in 24 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Kuji (Japan) after 1:42 h.
The database records 10,000 deaths.
Damage is estimated at US$ 1.0 million.
Map of observation sites
329Each 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) · Nov 4, 1952, 4:58 PM UTC
- 0:15 hRussia · Shipunsky, Kamchatka · 9.00 m
- 1:42 hJapan · Kuji · 1.85 m
- 2:29 hUnited States · Adak, Sweeper Cove, Ak · 1.10 m
- 4:12 hUSA Territory · Wake Island · 0.30 m
- 5:24 hMarshall Islands, Rep. Of · Enewetak, Marshall Islands · 0.26 m
- 5:48 hMicronesia, Fed. States Of · Truk Islands, Caroline Islands · 0.10 m
- 7:44 hCanada · Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · 0.29 m
- 8:00 hKiribati · Kanton Island, Phoenix Islands · 0.10 m
- 9:43 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 0.90 m
- 11:57 hMexico · La Paz · 0.05 m
- 16:00 hCosta Rica · Puntarenas · 0.31 m
- 16:07 hPanama · Puerto Armuelles · 0.12 m
- 17:48 hEcuador · La Libertad · 1.89 m
- 18:48 hPeru · Callao · 0.30 m
- 19:48 hChile · Arica · 1.20 m
- 29:02 hNew Zealand · Gisborne · 0.70 m
63 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 45 | 23.0 m Kurbatova Cape, Shumshu Island | 4,009 | 0:15 h |
 United States | 125 | 10.4 m N Kauai Island, Hi | — | 2:29 h |
 Japan | 102 | 3.00 m Isatomae | — | 1:42 h |
 Papua New Guinea | 4 | 2.40 m Kieta, Bougainville Island | — | — |
| USA Territory | 6 | 1.90 m Midway Islands | — | 4:12 h |
 Ecuador | 1 | 1.89 m La Libertad | — | 17:48 h |
 Chile | 6 | 1.80 m Talcahuano | — | 19:48 h |
 Samoa | 7 | 1.37 m Fagaloa Bay, Upolu Island | — | 9:43 h |
 Mexico | 3 | 1.12 m Acapulco | — | 11:57 h |
 New Zealand | 9 | 1.00 m Ngunguru | — | 29:02 h |
 New Caledonia | 1 | 1.00 m Yate River | — | — |
 El Salvador | 1 | 0.58 m La Libertad | — | — |
 Costa Rica | 1 | 0.31 m Puntarenas | — | 16:00 h |
 Canada | 5 | 0.30 m Alert Bay, British Columbia | — | 7:44 h |
 Peru | 1 | 0.30 m Callao | — | 18:48 h |
| Marshall Islands, Rep. Of | 2 | 0.26 m Enewetak, Marshall Islands | — | 5:24 h |
 Guatemala | 1 | 0.22 m San Jose | — | — |
 Panama | 1 | 0.12 m Puerto Armuelles | — | 16:07 h |
| Micronesia, Fed. States Of | 2 | 0.10 m Truk Islands, Caroline Islands | — | 5:48 h |
 Kiribati | 1 | 0.10 m Kanton Island, Phoenix Islands | — | 8:00 h |
 China | 1 | 0.08 m Hong Kong | — | — |
 Nicaragua | 1 | 0.08 m San Juan del Sur | — | — |
 Solomon Islands | 2 | — | — | — |
 Australia | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 329Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kurbatova Cape, Shumshu Island · Kuril Islands | 23.00 m | 324 km | Russia |
| Kitovaia Bay, Paramushir Island · Kuril Islands | 18.40 m | 419 km | Russia |
| Khodutka Bay, Kamchatka · Kamchatka | 15.00 m | 175 km | Russia |
| Piratkova Bay · Kamchatka | 15.00 m | 147 km | Russia |
| S of Kitovaia Bay, Paramushir Is. | 14.00 m | 430 km | Russia |
| Kronotsky, Kamchatka · Kamchatka | 13.00 m | 217 km | Russia |
| Olga Bay · Primorsky | 13.00 m | 2,080 km | Russia |
| N Kauai Island, Hi · Hi Classified as doubtful | 10.40 m | 4,820 km | United States |
| Onekotan I, Kurilskiye · Kuril Islands | 10.00 m | 536 km | Russia |
| Povorotnyy, Kamchatka · Kamchatka | 10.00 m | 152 km | Russia |
| Severo-Kurilsk, Paramushir Island · Kuril Islands | 10.00 m | 356 km | Russia |
| Cape Lopatka, East Coast, Kamchatka · Kamchatka | 9.50 m | 314 km | Russia |
| Kaena Point, Oahu, Hi · Hi Classified as doubtful | 9.10 m | 4,950 km | United States |
| Baikovo, Shumshu Island, Kurilskiye · Kuril Islands | 9.00 m | 350 km | Russia |
| Shipunsky, Kamchatka · Kamchatka | 9.00 m | 38 km | Russia |
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.