Shallow M5.9 earthquake hits near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia on December 18, 2025
An earthquake measuring M5.9 was registered at 12:37 UTC on December 18, 2025, 72 km (45 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 65.9 km (40.9 miles), with coordinates at 53.0°N, 159.7°E.
The coordinates position the event near the Pacific coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, east of the regional center Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The region is sparsely populated outside the city, characterized by rugged volcanic terrain and coastal settlements.
Critical infrastructure in the region may include coastal ports, highways connecting local communities, and energy facilities supporting Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the surrounding districts.
There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.
The significance index is 536 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.
The Kamchatka Peninsula lies near the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Eurasian Plate, an area well known for high seismicity, frequent earthquakes, and volcanic activity due to subduction processes.
This information was last updated at 12:52 UTC on December 18, 2025.