M4.5 Earthquake 237 km NNW of Kuril’sk, Russia — August 21, 2026
2026-08-21 10:38:57 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 8:38 PM UTC+10 local
On August 21, 2026 at 10:38 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 deep-focus earthquake struck 237 km NNW of Kuril’sk, Russia, at a depth of 350.5 km and coordinates 47.2192°, 146.7826°. This earthquake was detected by 129 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — 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
Earthquake Details
146.7826°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Kuril’sk, Russia?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 237 km NNW of Kuril’sk, Russia on August 21, 2026 at 10:38 UTC had a depth of 350.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 47.2192°, 146.7826°, which is 237 km NNW of Kuril’sk, Russia. View all earthquakes in Russia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days 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 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000tmf2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 21, 2026). M4.5 Earthquake 237 km NNW of Kuril’sk, Russia — August 21, 2026. Retrieved August 21, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000tmf2/