Historical tsunamis · Dec 3, 1995, 6:01 PM UTC
1995 S. Kuril Islands tsunami
Russia
The tsunami of Dec 3, 1995, 6:01 PM UTC originated near S. Kuril Islands (Russia).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 3, 1995, 6:01 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.9
- Depth
- 33 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.10 m
- Observation records
- 38
- Countries affected
- 6
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake at a depth of 33 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.10 m.
38 observation sites in 6 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia (Canada) after 8:34 h.
Map of observation sites
38Each 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) · Dec 3, 1995, 6:01 PM UTC
- 8:34 hCanada · Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · 0.05 m
- 10:29 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.05 m
6 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Japan | 15 | 0.23 m Chichijima Island | — | — |
| USA Territory | 3 | 0.22 m Midway Islands | — | — |
 Canada | 5 | 0.19 m Port Alberni, British Columbia | — | 8:34 h |
 United States | 12 | 0.14 m Crescent City, Ca | — | — |
 Vanuatu | 1 | 0.05 m Port Vila, Efate Island | — | 10:29 h |
 French Polynesia | 2 | 0.04 m Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 38Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chichijima Island · Bonin Is, Tokyo | 0.23 m | 2,050 km | Japan |
| Midway Islands · Hi | 0.22 m | 3,466 km | USA Territory |
| Hanasaki · Hokkaido | 0.20 m | 337 km | Japan |
| Nemuroko · Hokkaido | 0.19 m | 332 km | Japan |
| Port Alberni, British Columbia · Bc | 0.19 m | 6,194 km | Canada |
| Urakawa · Hokkaido | 0.19 m | 597 km | Japan |
| Hachinohe · Aomori | 0.15 m | 785 km | Japan |
| Crescent City, Ca · Ca | 0.14 m | 6,687 km | United States |
| Kushiro · Hokkaido | 0.13 m | 438 km | Japan |
| Miyako · Iwate | 0.13 m | 821 km | Japan |
| Mera · Chiba | 0.12 m | 1,350 km | Japan |
| Ayukawa · Miyagi | 0.11 m | 960 km | Japan |
| Ofunato · Iwate | 0.11 m | 886 km | Japan |
| Kahului, Maui, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 5,596 km | United States |
| Shemya Island, Ak · Ak | 0.10 m | 2,020 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.