Moderate M5.8 earthquake strikes near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia on October 11, 2025
An M5.8 earthquake was recorded at 12:25 UTC on October 11, 2025, about 56 km (35 miles) southeast of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia, at a depth of 76.0 km (47.2 miles). The earthquake’s epicenter was located at 156.7°E, 50.3°N.
The event took place in the Kuril Islands region of the northwestern Pacific, a remote area known for active tectonics and volcanic activity. Severo-Kuril’sk is a small town on Paramushir Island, the northernmost of the Kuril chain.
Given this offshore archipelago location, critical infrastructure in the area may include regional ports, smaller airstrips, fisheries, and maritime navigation routes, which are vital for logistics and local economies in this sparsely populated region.
There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.
The significance index is 518 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.
The Kuril Islands are situated along the convergent boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Okhotsk Plate (sometimes considered part of the North American Plate). This region is part of the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
This information was last updated at 12:44 UTC on October 11, 2025.