December 15, 1971 Tsunami: Kamchatka, Russia
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake began at Kamchatka, Russia on December 15, 1971 at 08:29:55 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.47 meters. Its effects were recorded at 12 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
- December 15, 1971, 08:29:55 UTC
- Source
- Kamchatka, Russia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.8, 33 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.47 m (1.5 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 12
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 56.000° N, 163.300° E
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this tsunami.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
The earthquake generated a weak tsunami in Ust-Kamchatsk. Visual observations were not available because the onset of the tsunami coincided with low tide and because the tsunami was very weak. The tide gauge record shows that the first wave arrived in Ust-Kamchatsk 20 minutes after the earthquake.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ust'Kamchatsk, Kamchatka | Russia | 67 | 0.47 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 15, 08:50 | ||
| Attu, Massacre Bay, AK, AK | United States | 732 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Severo-Kurilsk, Paramushir Island | Russia | 760 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Shemya Island, AK, AK | United States | 790 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Adak, Sweeper Cove, AK, AK | United States | 1,390 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Unalaska, Dutch Harbor, AK, AK | United States | 1,932 | 0.01 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Wake Island, UM | US Territories | 4,084 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI, HI | United States | 4,866 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Apra Harbor, Guam, GU doubtful | US Territories | 4,988 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Honolulu, Oahu, HI, HI | United States | 5,004 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Kahului, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 5,116 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 5,302 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 1971The 1900sTsunamis 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 2044.