September 28, 1849 Tsunami: Kamchatka, Russia
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Kamchatka, Russia on September 28, 1849 at 09:00 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 4 places in at least 3 countries.
Where the waves reached
The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.
- Under 1 m
- 1 to 3 m
- 3 to 10 m
- 10 to 30 m
- 30 m and more
- Height not recorded
The tsunami
- Date
- September 28, 1849, 09:00 UTC
- Source
- Kamchatka, Russia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 4
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 55.000° N, 166.000° E
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
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.
September 16, 1849 [Julian day September 28]. We present, as the fullest, the version of P. N. Doroshin (reference #4972).
"On September 16, 1849, Bering and Mednyi islands experienced a strong earthquake, because of which on Mednyi a bluff collapsed, burying a good seal rookery; the barracks, bath-house, and the saw-mill fell down, and in all of the houses without exception the stoves collapsed. It began at 8 o'clock in the evening and continued until morning of the following day. During the whole duration of that time the water alternately ebbed and flowed ceaselessly. The inhabitants took refuge on the hills."(reference #413)
September 29 or October 29, 1849 [September 16 or October 16 Gregorian calendar]. Komandorsk Island. Quaking lasted from 8 p.m. to next morning. Sea alternately ebbed and flowed, destroying buildings. Doroshin gives the Sept date, Perry the Oct date. (reference #79)
Every runup
Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.
| Where | Country | Km from source | Water height, m | Inland, m | Measured by | First wave, UTC | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bering Island, Commander Islands | Russia | 13 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Medny Island, Commander Islands | Russia | 105 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Apia, Upolu Island | Samoa | 7,909 | 0.7 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Aneityum, Vanuatu Islands | Vanuatu | 8,343 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1849The 1800sTsunamis of RussiaThe earthquakeThis day in weather historyAlerts in force
Sources
Tsunami events and runups 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 tsunami event 767.