1959 Kamchatka earthquake
| UTC time | 1959-05-04 07:15:47 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 881925 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | May 4, 1959 |
| Local time | 19:15 |
| Magnitude | 8.25 Ms, 8.0–8.3 Mw |
| Depth | 20–60 km (12–37 mi) |
| Epicenter | 53°22′N 159°40′E / 53.37°N 159.66°E |
| Areas affected | USSR |
| Max. intensity | MSK-64 VIII (Damaging) |
| Casualties | 1 killed, 13 injured |
The 1959 Kamchatka earthquake occurred on May 4 at 19:15 local time with a moment magnitude of 8.0–8.3, and a surface wave magnitude of 8.25. The epicenter was near the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian SFSR, USSR. Building damage was reported in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The maximum intensity was VIII (Damaging) on the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale. The intensity in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was about VIII MSK.
The earthquake triggered a tsunami with 0.2 meters (7.9 in) of runup that was recorded in Massacre Bay, Alaska, in the United States. Subduction is active along about the southern half of the eastern coast of Kamchatka Peninsula, between its junctions with the Aleutian Islands and the Kuril Islands.