Historical tsunamis · May 4, 1959, 7:15 AM UTC
1959 Kamchatka tsunami
Russia
The tsunami of May 4, 1959, 7:15 AM UTC originated near Kamchatka (Russia).
Key facts
- Date
- May 4, 1959, 7:15 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.2
- Depth
- 60 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.20 m
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.2 earthquake at a depth of 60 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.20 m (Kahului, Maui, Hi, United States).
7 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak (United States) after 1:42 h.
Map of observation sites
7Each 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) · May 4, 1959, 7:15 AM UTC
- 1:42 hUnited States · Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak · 0.15 m
5 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States | 6 | 0.20 m Kahului, Maui, Hi | — | 1:42 h |
| USA Territory | 1 | 0.10 m Midway Islands | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
7 / 7Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, Maui, Hi · Hi | 0.20 m | 5,141 km | United States |
| Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak · Ak | 0.15 m | 926 km | United States |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 5,332 km | United States |
| Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 5,019 km | United States |
| Midway Islands · Hi | 0.10 m | 3,306 km | USA Territory |
| Mokuoloe-Coconut Is, Oahu · Hi | 0.10 m | 5,013 km | United States |
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 4,871 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.