M5.3 Earthquake 123 km SSE of Kuril’sk, Russia — August 2, 2021
2021-08-02 03:28:58 UTC (2021-08-02) · approx. 1:28 PM UTC+10 local
On August 2, 2021 at 03:28 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 123 km SSE of Kuril’sk, Russia, at a depth of 29.0 km and coordinates 44.1569°, 148.3143°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Kuril'sk (population 1,719).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Russia, a region characterized by the Kuril-Kamchatka subduction zone on the northwestern Pacific Ring of Fire. The nearest mapped fault system is the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench. View all earthquakes in Russia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 8,026 |
Earthquake Details
148.3143°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Kuril’sk, Russia?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 123 km SSE of Kuril’sk, Russia on August 2, 2021 at 03:28 UTC had a depth of 29.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 44.1569°, 148.3143°, which is 123 km SSE of Kuril’sk, Russia. The nearest populated place is Kuril'sk (population 1,719). View all earthquakes in Russia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Russia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Russia was the M9.0 Kamchatka earthquake of November 4, 1952. Today's magnitude 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000f1d3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, August 2, 2021). M5.3 Earthquake 123 km SSE of Kuril’sk, Russia — August 2, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000f1d3/