January 13, 2007 Tsunami: S. Kuril Islands, Russia
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake began at S. Kuril Islands, Russia on January 13, 2007 at 04:23:21 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.4 meters. Its effects were recorded at 47 places in at least 11 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
Travel times
NOAA NCEI’s travel time map for this tsunami: one line for each hour after the source, showing how long the first wave took to reach each part of the ocean.
The map of NCEI’s lines needs JavaScript.
- 1 to 4 hours
- 5 to 6 hours
- 7 to 14 hours
- 15 hours and more
NCEI computed these with the TTT software from the epicenter and a 2-minute bathymetry grid. In NCEI’s words, “Calculated times are usually within 1 hour of the observed travel times, but can differ by more than one hour, particularly when the location is across the Pacific Basin.” The lines give when the first wave arrives, not how high it is. NCEI’s travel time maps.
The tsunami
- Date
- January 13, 2007, 04:23:21 UTC
- Source
- S. Kuril Islands, Russia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 8.1, 10 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.4 m (1.3 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 47
- Warning
- Regional Tsunami Warning issued by PTWC for areas without a warning system
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 46.243° N, 154.524° 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.
Tsunami wave heights in centimeters (peak-to-trough) were recorded at the following tide stations: 10 at Hana-saki, Japan; 4 at Adak and 32 on Shemya Island, Alaska; 33 at Arena
Cove, 37 at Crescent City and 20 at Port San Luis, California; 12 at Hilo, 14 at Kahului and 9 at Nawiliwili, Hawaii; 27 at Port Orford, Oregon; 18 on Midway Island; 9 on Wake Island. (reference #1053)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malokuril'Skaya Bay, Shikotan | Russia | 662 | 0.2 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Yuzhno-Kuril'Sk, Kunashir Island | Russia | 724 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hanasaki | Japan | 781 | 0.13 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 06:05 | ||
| Kushiro | Japan | 883 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Miyako | Japan | 1,256 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Kamaishi | Japan | 1,290 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Ofunato | Japan | 1,317 | 0.22 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Shemya Island, AK, AK | United States | 1,585 | 0.32 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 07:12 | ||
| D21414 Bpr, Northwest Pacific Ocean, AK | United States | 1,803 | 0.03 | Deep ocean gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 07:35 | ||
| Adak, Sweeper Cove, AK, AK | United States | 2,183 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 08:31 | ||
| Chichijima Island | Japan | 2,387 | 0.41 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 07:38 | ||
| Unalaska, Dutch Harbor, AK, AK | United States | 2,874 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Midway Islands, HI | US Territories | 3,169 | 0.19 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 09:11 | ||
| Wake Island, UM | US Territories | 3,188 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 08:37 | ||
| Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, MH | Marshall Islands | 4,344 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Yakutat, AK, AK | United States | 4,455 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Sitka, AK, AK | United States | 4,772 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI, HI | United States | 4,939 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 12:08 | ||
| Langara Island, British Columbia, BC | Canada | 5,010 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 12:27 | ||
| Honolulu, Oahu, HI, HI | United States | 5,100 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Queen Charlotte, British Columbia, BC | Canada | 5,110 | 0.02 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 12:27 | ||
| Kahului, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 5,235 | 0.17 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 11:26 | ||
| Bella Bella, British Columbia, BC | Canada | 5,402 | 0.02 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 13:09 | ||
| Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 5,431 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 11:48 | ||
| Winter Harbor, British Columbia, BC | Canada | 5,490 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 12:39 | ||
| Port Hardy, British Columbia, BC | Canada | 5,514 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 12:30 | ||
| Tofino (Clayoquot),british Columbia, BC | Canada | 5,696 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 12:49 | ||
| Bamfield, British Columbia, BC | Canada | 5,763 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 12:58 | ||
| Neah Bay, WA, WA | United States | 5,822 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| La Push, WA, WA | United States | 5,846 | 0.13 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Victoria, British Columbia, BC | Canada | 5,898 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 13:14 | ||
| Charleston, OR, OR | United States | 6,145 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Port Orford, OR, OR | United States | 6,162 | 0.27 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 13:18 | ||
| Crescent City, CA, CA | United States | 6,245 | 0.23 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 13:18 | ||
| Arena Cove, CA, CA | United States | 6,459 | 0.25 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 12:54 | ||
| Point Reyes, CA, CA | United States | 6,572 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| San Francisco, CA, CA | United States | 6,620 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Port San Luis, CA, CA | United States | 6,920 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 13:30 | ||
| Santa Barbara, CA, CA | United States | 7,050 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Port Vila, Efate Island | Vanuatu | 7,222 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS | US Territories | 7,555 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Rarotonga | Cook Islands | 8,772 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Quepos | Costa Rica | 11,540 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 13, 21:00 | ||
| Callao LA Punta | Peru | 13,877 | 0.14 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Iquique | Chile | 15,047 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Antofagasta | Chile | 15,298 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Talcahuano | Chile | 15,968 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 2007The 2000sTsunamis 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 3019.