October 13, 1963 Earthquake: Kuril Islands, Russia

Name: October 13, 1963 Earthquake: Kuril Islands, Russia
Start: 1963-10-13
Location: Kuril Islands, Russia

October 13, 1963 · M8.5

A magnitude 8.5 earthquake struck Kuril Islands, Russia on October 13, 1963 at 05:17:53 UTC, 13 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date: October 13, 1963
Time: 05:17:53 UTC
Place: Kuril Islands, Russia
Magnitude: 8.5 (Mw)
Focal depth: 13 km (8 mi)
Intensity: 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 44.770° N, 149.798° E
Country: Russia

The toll

Damage: Limited (under about $1 million)

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

1963, October 13, 05:17:55.8 UTC. 44.81 N, 149.54 E, depth 47 km, magnitude 8.1, intensity IX. The maximum macroseismic effects from this earthquake were observed on Lake Urup; however evaluation of this effect is difficult because the island is sparsely populated. The meager information available for rating the intensity includes: numerous rockfalls and talus were observed; blocks weighing up to 50 tons collapsed; ground-water level changed; doors slammed, walls shook, and cracks formed in the corners of buildings in the only living unit on the cape of the Van-der-Lind; storm windows with a thickness of 7-8 mm broke; a stove pipe collapsed in a bathhouse. There were tsunamis up to 4.5 m in height. (reference #223)

43.8N, 150E, magnitude 8.1. (reference #79)

1963, October 13, 05:17:57.1 UTC. 44.8 N, 149.5 E, depth about 60 km, magnitude 8.25. Felt on Hokkaido and Honshu, Japan. Tsunami generated with maximum amplitude of 13-16 feet over approximately 300 km of coastline in the Kurile Islands. Light damage to USN ship located at 44 deg 29 min N, 152 deg 01 min E. (reference #45)

1963, October 13, 05:17:58 UTC. 44.8 N, 149.5 E, depth 60 km, magnitude 8.25 Ms. (reference #88)

1963, October 13, 05:17:53.35 UTC. 44.77 N, 149.798 E, 13.4 km depth, 8.6 Mw P&S, 8.1 Ms ABE1, 8.1 Ms P&S, 7.7 mB ABE1, 8.2 UK B&D. (reference #9910)

1963, October 13, 05:17:59.05 UTC, 44.872 N, 149.483 E, 35 km depth, 8.5 Mw. (reference #10476)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1963 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1963 Recent earthquakes near here This day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 4304.