Historical tsunamis · Feb 23, 1980, 5:51 AM UTC
1980 S. Kuril Islands tsunami
Russia
The tsunami of Feb 23, 1980, 5:51 AM UTC originated near S. Kuril Islands (Russia).
Key facts
- Date
- Feb 23, 1980, 5:51 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Depth
- 44 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.16 m
- Observation records
- 10
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at a depth of 44 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.16 m (Malokuril'skaya Bay, Shikotan, Russia).
10 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
10Each 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) · Feb 23, 1980, 5:51 AM UTC
- 0:10 hRussia · Shikotan Island · 0.04 m
3 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 4 | 0.16 m Malokuril'skaya Bay, Shikotan | — | 0:10 h |
 Japan | 6 | 0.14 m Hanasaki | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
10 / 10Individual 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 | 0.16 m | 38 km | Russia |
| Hanasaki · Hokkaido | 0.14 m | 100 km | Japan |
| Tokachiko · Hokkaido | 0.08 m | 311 km | Japan |
| Miyako · Iwate | 0.06 m | 586 km | Japan |
| Yuzhno-Kuril'sk, Kunashir Island · Kuril Islands | 0.06 m | 91 km | Russia |
| Ayukawa · Miyagi | 0.05 m | 730 km | Japan |
| Kushiro · Hokkaido | 0.04 m | 203 km | Japan |
| Nemuroko · Hokkaido | 0.04 m | 97 km | Japan |
| Shikotan Island · Kuril Islands | 0.04 m | 27 km | Russia |
| Iturup Island, Kurilskiye · Kuril Islands | 0.03 m | 171 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.