Shallow M5.5 earthquake hits offshore Kuril Islands, Russia
A shallow M5.5 earthquake struck offshore, approximately 139 km (86 miles) southeast of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia, at 14:53 UTC on June 7, 2026. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles), according to USGS data.
The coordinates for this event are 157.7°E and 49.9°N, placing the epicenter in the ocean waters southeast of the northern Kuril Islands. This area lies in the northwestern Pacific, and Severo-Kuril’sk is the closest population center.
Given the offshore location, critical infrastructure in this region may include ports and coastal navigation routes used by fishing and shipping industries. The sparsely populated Kuril Islands are not home to major airports or large-scale energy facilities in the immediate vicinity.
There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.
The significance index for this event is 465 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude and estimated impact.
This region is tectonically active, located near the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Okhotsk Plate. Subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath this part of Russia makes the Kuril Islands a frequent site for seismic activity.
This information was last updated at 15:13 UTC on June 7, 2026.