Historical tsunamis · Jan 21, 1976, 10:05 AM UTC
1976 S. Kuril Islands tsunami
Russia
The tsunami of Jan 21, 1976, 10:05 AM UTC originated near S. Kuril Islands (Russia).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 21, 1976, 10:05 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Depth
- 41 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.38 m
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at a depth of 41 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.38 m.
5 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Hanasaki (Japan) after 0:54 h.
Map of observation sites
5Each 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 21, 1976, 10:05 AM UTC
- 0:31 hRussia · Burevestnik, Iturup I., Kurilskiye · 0.18 m
- 0:54 hJapan · Hanasaki · 0.13 m
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 4 | 0.37 m Malokuril'skaya Bay, Shikotan | — | 0:31 h |
 Japan | 1 | 0.13 m Hanasaki | — | 0:54 h |
Highest documented water heights
5 / 5Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malokuril'skaya Bay, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 0.37 m | 218 km | Russia |
| Burevestnik, Iturup I., Kurilskiye · Kuril Islands | 0.18 m | 118 km | Russia |
| Hanasaki · Hokkaido | 0.13 m | 338 km | Japan |
| Yuzhno-Kuril'sk, Kunashir Island · Kuril Islands | 0.10 m | 278 km | Russia |
| Matua, Kurilskiye · Kuril Islands | 0.07 m | 474 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.