July 12, 1993 Earthquake: Southeast, South Korea, Hokkaido, Russia, Japan

On July 12, 1993, a magnitude 7.6 Ms (7.7 Mw) (HRV) earthquake at 13:17 UT in the Sea of Japan near Hokkaido caused a back-arc tsunami that caused damage in all of the countries bordering the Sea of Japan. The earthquake had a rupture length of 150 km, a movement of 2.5 m and a dip to the east of 24 degrees. The tsunami was 32 meters high on Okishuri, Island, where the most destruction occurred. The whole island subsided by 5-80 cm.

Damage and Fatalities in Japan:

The tsunami caused about 230 fatalities (reference #378), destroyed several hundred homes and caused about $1.2 billion dollars in damage. (Fatalities in Japan were not differentiated as to earthquake or tsunami.) Property damage included 71 ports on Hokkaido and property losses due to the earthquake and tsunami were $179 million. One person in a fishing boat was killed off Aomori, Honshu, Japan. Three were missing off the southeastern coast of Russia; 165 were killed on Okushiri; about 74 were killed on Hokkaido.

Damage in Russia:

Damage was caused to a factory at Kamenka, Sakhalin Island, and to Vladivostok, Russia, which reported two-meter waves. Waves with heights up to four meters were observed on the Primorye coasts of Russia. Damage in Russia exceeded $6.5 million.

Damage in Korea:

Damage of nearly half a million dollars occurred, mostly to fishing boats and equipment.

(above from reference #1315)

At least 200 people were killed and 39 missing in the Hokkaido region, including at least 165 killed on Okushiri. One person on a fishing boat was killed off Aomori, Honshu. Three people were missing from the southeast coast of Russia. Severe damage (V JMA) was caused by the earthquake and accompanying fires, landslides and tsunami in southwestern Hokkaido. 540 houses were destroyed and 1,834 others were damaged. Approximately 600 fishing boats were damaged or lost off western Japan, southeastern Russia and South Korea. Tsunami wave heights as high as 30.6 m was reported along the southwest coast of Okushiri Island, 10 meters along the west coast of Hokkaio, 3 meters at Nakhodka, Russia, 2 meters along the northeast coast of South Korea and nearly 1 meter at Aomori, Honshu. The tsunami affected much of the southeastern coast of Russia and also caused damage to a factory at Kamenka, Sakhalin Island. (reference #1053)

232 deaths, 233 injured, $16 million damage. (reference #1250)

The estimate as of September 15, 1993,was a total of 231 fatalities, of which 208 were attributed to the tsunami. The total included 14 confirmed deaths in the Yo Yo Hotel,

which was buried by a landslide. Nine deaths were reported in Taisei. Fatalities were primarily elderly persons and children. (reference #3839)