Shallow M5.6 earthquake hits offshore Kamchatka, Russia

An earthquake registering M5.6 was recorded at 01:10 UTC on October 13, 2025, approximately 218 km (135 miles) south-southwest of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia. The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles).

The coordinates place the epicenter offshore in the northwestern Pacific, near the Kuril Islands and northeast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. This region is largely uninhabited, with Severo-Kuril’sk being one of the nearest settlements. The area is remote and sparsely populated.

Critical infrastructure in this part of Russia is minimal due to its isolation and proximity to the open ocean. Transport links, if any, are limited to local maritime traffic, with occasional shipping routes traversing the nearby seas.

There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.

USGS issued a green alert for this event, indicating a low likelihood of casualties or damage. The maximum estimated intensity was IV–V, and the significance index is 482 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude and estimated impact.

The Kamchatka-Kuril region is tectonically active, forming part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Earthquakes here result from the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the North American Plate, a well-known source of frequent seismic activity.

This information was last updated at 03:25 UTC on October 13, 2025.