National Tsunami Warning Center, NOAA/NWS

Kuril Islands Tsunami of 15 January 2009

A major earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.4 (USGS magnitude) occurred at 17:49:39 UTC 15 January 2009 (day 015) and was located 270 miles/432 km south of Severo-Kuril'sk, Kuril Islands, Russia (46.862N, 155.156E, 22.4mi/36.0km depth--USGS location).

This earthquake produced a tsunami that was recorded at tide gages monitored at the Tsunami Warning Centers. Many observatories provide data to the centers; such as the NOAA National Ocean Service, the Japanese Meteorological Agency, the U. of Hawaii Sea Level Center, the Chilean Navy, and the National Tidal Facility in Australia among others. Click on the site name to see a graph of the tsunami, when available. Listed wave heights are maximum amplitude in cm (above sea level). Observed Arrival time is the actual tsunami arrival time in UTC on gages where it could be determined. The Computed Arrival time is the estimated time of arrival computed at the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) based on the origin time and location. The Sample Interval column shows the time between samples.

For additional information about these tsunami events see the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's homepage .

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