Historical tsunamis · Oct 4, 1994, 1:22 PM UTC
1994 S. Kuril Islands tsunami
Russia
The tsunami of Oct 4, 1994, 1:22 PM UTC originated near S. Kuril Islands (Russia).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 4, 1994, 1:22 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.3
- Depth
- 14 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 10.4 m
- Deaths
- 11
- Injuries
- 382
- Houses destroyed
- 2
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 119
- Countries affected
- 8
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake at a depth of 14 km.
The highest documented water height was 10.4 m (S. Dimitrova Bay, Shikotan, Russia).
119 observation sites in 8 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Winter Harbor, British Columbia (Canada) after 8:25 h.
The database records 11 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 2.
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
119Each 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) · Oct 4, 1994, 1:22 PM UTC
- 8:25 hCanada · Winter Harbor, British Columbia · 0.10 m
- 9:26 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.19 m
6 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 30 | 10.4 m S. Dimitrova Bay, Shikotan | — | — |
 Japan | 52 | 1.73 m Nemuro | — | — |
 United States | 25 | 0.50 m Crescent City, Ca | — | — |
 Chile | 2 | 0.40 m Talcahuano | — | — |
| USA Territory | 3 | 0.27 m Midway Islands | — | — |
 Vanuatu | 1 | 0.19 m Port Vila, Efate Island | — | 9:26 h |
 French Polynesia | 1 | 0.15 m Papeete, Tahiti | — | — |
 Canada | 5 | 0.13 m Port Alberni, British Columbia | — | 8:25 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 119Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Dimitrova Bay, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 10.40 m | 40 km | Russia |
| C.tserkovnaya Bay, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 8.50 m | 51 km | Russia |
| N. Dimitrova Bay, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 8.20 m | 40 km | Russia |
| Agatova Bay, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 8.10 m | 48 km | Russia |
| Shezhkova Bay, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 8.00 m | 44 km | Russia |
| E.tserkovnaya Bay, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 7.20 m | 49 km | Russia |
| Ilyushina River, Kunashir · Kuril Islands | 6.40 m | 118 km | Russia |
| Kray Sveta Cape, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 6.00 m | 34 km | Russia |
| Petrova Point, Kunashir Island · Kuril Islands | 5.30 m | 124 km | Russia |
| Krugloe Lake, Kunashir · Kuril Islands | 4.70 m | 99 km | Russia |
| Yuzhno-Kuril'sk, Kunashir Island · Kuril Islands | 4.70 m | 121 km | Russia |
| Kosmodemianskoe, Kunashir · Kuril Islands | 4.60 m | 120 km | Russia |
| Goryachly Beach, Kunashir · Kuril Islands | 4.20 m | 125 km | Russia |
| Polonsky Is. · Kuril Islands | 4.00 m | 80 km | Russia |
| Zvezdnay Bay, Shikotan · Kuril Islands | 4.00 m | 57 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.