Severo-Kurilsk Earthquake, 1952

Severo-Kurilsk Earthquake, Russia Earthquake (1952)

Introduction:

In East Russia just off the Kamchatka Peninsula, the 9.0 magnitude Severo-Kurilsk earthquake struck on November 4, 1952, 4:00am (Geology Science, 2019). The epicenter was 25 miles beneath sea level along a 350-mile subduction zone fracture (February and Oscmill, 2022). The disaster date depends on the location in question as the disaster occurred in two different time zones. Kurilsk locals use 4:00am as their reference time, though, “According to Greenwich (UTC), the earthquake happened November 4, 16 hours 58 minutes; in Kamchatka (+12 hours) on November 5, 4:58 am; and in Kuril Islands, which live in Sakhalin time (+11 hours) was 3:58 am,” (NOAA, 2022). The earthquake created the deadly Kamchatka tsunami which took over two-thousand lives and is known as the deadliest earthquake in Russian history. 

 Severo-Kurilsk Eathquake epicenter along the Kuril-Kamachtka Trench (Volcano Discovery, 2022)

Destruction:

The massive earthquake created sixty-five ft waves hitting the Kuril Islands in Russia, just south of the epicenter with waves reaching heights from fifty to one hundred feet causing severe damage to the Kamchatka Peninsula (February and Oscmill, 2022). The tremors continued for an hour and a half, damaging 700km from the Kronotosky Peninsula to the northern Kuril Islands (Sinelschikova, 2021). No lives were claimed during these tremors but there was extensive property and land damage; buildings split into two and washed land. 40 minutes later three catastrophic 10m waves crashed throwing houses and buildings out to sea, effectively wiping out and ending Severeo-Kurilisk (Sinelschikova, 2021). 

The disaster proceeded throughout the pacific (EarthWeb, 2022). Waves struck the Hawaiian Islands at 1:00pm and thankfully, no lives were lost. Six-to-nine-foot flooding was recorded, and devastation is detailed by Devastating Disasters as, “…waves flooded the Island, lifted buildings, washed debris and barges ashore, and deposited large quantities of sand on an airfield,” (2022). 

Dangerous oceanic conditions spiked 30-40minutes after the earthquake and average coastal wave height reached 6-7 meters (NOAA, 2022). The Kuril settlement was destroyed, and continuous waves caused six to nine-foot flooding in Hawaii islands and only minimal flooding destruction in Alaska. At the time, Kurilske had around 15 thousand inhabitants, an estimated four thousand of which perished from the catastrophic tsunami that followed (NOAA, 2022). Tidal gauges along the United States west coast Pacific Basin experienced elevated water levels recorded as “five inches or less in height” (February and Oscmall, 2022) and an estimated damage cost to Hawaii ranged from $800,000-$1,000,000 (1952 value). 

Discussion:

Disaster mitigation would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, to implement during this time. There were no technological advancements in place to provide sufficient warning to residents and those in surrounding areas. The devastation from the earthquake shows the importance of disaster mitigations to preserve monetary assets. Though no lives were lost to the earthquake, cattle and agricultural land were decimated along with personal assets. If there had been technological advancements at the time as well as heightened public perception of natural hazards, there may have been attempts for island evacuation before the rising waters arrived. Unfortunately, the island and its habitants were not well prepared for any natural disaster of this size; the earthquake as well as the Kamchatka tsunami. Due to being a rather remote, removed location, the full extent of damage and loss of life was unknown for days leaving survivors stranded. Recovery was too late due to lacking communicative abilities at the time and far delayed rescue efforts. All these factors contributed to the unfortunate end of the community entirely as many of the destroyed villages were never rebuilt. 

Kamastckha Tsunami wave that washed away Severo-Kurilisk, 1952 (Rozavet, 2022)

Decimation shown by the State Archives of the Sakhalin Region (Sinelschikovia, 2021)

Video:

Unfortunately, there are not many videos covering the quake and the aftermath considering the year of occurrence. The Kamchatka Tsunami is typically focused on more than the events leading up. This video is the best I found despite its 10-minute length. It details the events leading up as well as the widespread destruction caused by the powerful earthquake and the Kamchatka tsunami it created. 

Sources:

1952 Kamchatka Peninsula Tsunami. 1952 Kamchatka peninsula tsunami. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://earthweb.ess.washington.edu/tsunami/general/historic/kamchatka52.html 

February, B., & Oscmall, M. (n.d.). Kamchatka earthquake – Russia – November 4, 1952. Devastating Disasters. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://devastatingdisasters.com/kamchatka-earthquake-russia-november-4-1952/ 

Geology Science. (2019, May 21). 10 Most Powerful Earthquakes in Earth History. Geology Science. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://geologyscience.com/geology-branches/natural-hazards/10-most-powerful-earthquakes-in-earth-history/ 

NOAA. (n.d.). Natural Hazards. NCEI Global Historical Hazard Database. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/tsunami/event-more-info/1829 

Sinelschikova, Y. (2021, November 17). How an entire Soviet town disappeared from the face of the Earth in a matter of minutes. Russia Beyond. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://www.rbth.com/history/334422-severo-kurilsk-disaster-1952