October 20, 1963 Earthquake: Kuril Islands, Russia

Name: October 20, 1963 Earthquake: Kuril Islands, Russia
Start: 1963-10-20
Location: Kuril Islands, Russia

October 20, 1963 · M7.9

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Kuril Islands, Russia on October 20, 1963 at 00:53:10 UTC, 28 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 20, 1963
Time: 00:53:10 UTC
Place: Kuril Islands, Russia
Magnitude: 7.9 (Mw)
Focal depth: 28 km (17 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 44.772° N, 150.563° E
Country: Russia

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

1963, October 20, 00:53:07.2 UTC. 44.7 N, 150.7 E, depth about 25 km, magnitude 6.75-7. Tsunami generated with wave heights locally in the Kurile Islands of up to 50 feet. (reference #45)

1963, October 20, 00:53:07 UTC, 44.7 N, 150.7 E, depth 25 km, magnitude 7 Ms. (reference #88)

1963, October 20, 00:53:12.1 UTC, 44.78 N, 150.24 E, depth 60 km, magnitude 7.4. Aftershock of 10/13; tsunamis in Friz Sound region. (reference #223)

1963, October 20, 00:53 UTC, 44.7 N, 150.7 E, depth 25 km, magnitude 6.75-7. (reference #79)

1963, October 20, 00:53:10.9 UTC. 44.772 N, 150.563 E, depth 27.9 km, magnitude 7.9 Mw, 7.2 Ms. (reference #9910)

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 4305.