Significant earthquakes of 1978

March 22, 1978 Earthquake: Kuril Islands, Russia

March 22, 1978 · M6.7

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Kuril Islands, Russia on March 22, 1978 at 00:50:32 UTC, 33 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
March 22, 1978
Time
00:50:32 UTC
Place
Kuril Islands, Russia
Magnitude
6.7 (Ms)
Focal depth
33 km (21 mi)
Intensity
4 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Epicenter
44.026° N, 149.002° 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.

First tsunamigenic earthquake:

At the end of March 1978, a long series of earthquakes occurred east of Iturup Island, many of which had a magnitude exceeding magnitude 7.0. From 00 hr 50 min on March 22 to 19 hr 43 min on March 24 there was as many as seven earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 7.0 to 8.0. Five of the seven earthquakes produced weak tsunamis.

Reference #417 (Soloviev, 1992) reports epicenter 00 h 50 m 31 s, 43.8 N, 149.2 E, depth 37 km, magnitude = 7.5.

Felt (IV) at Kurilsk and (I JMA) at Nemuro. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1978The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1978Recent earthquakes near hereThis 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 6599.