M5.6 Earthquake 69 km SW of Palana, Russia — September 1, 2020
2020-09-01 00:51:17 UTC (2020-09-01) · approx. 11:51 AM UTC+11 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 5.4 (strong).
On September 1, 2020 at 00:51 UTC, a magnitude 5.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 69 km SW of Palana, Russia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 58.7196°, 158.9837°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Tigil' (population 1,993).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 4 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 4.4 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 | 4,707 |
| MMI 4 | light | 3,975 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 56 |
Earthquake Details
158.9837°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Palana, Russia?
The magnitude 5.6 earthquake that struck 69 km SW of Palana, Russia on September 1, 2020 at 00:51 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 58.7196°, 158.9837°, which is 69 km SW of Palana, Russia. The nearest populated place is Tigil' (population 1,993). View all earthquakes in Russia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.6 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 5.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000bfij). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 1, 2020). M5.6 Earthquake 69 km SW of Palana, Russia — September 1, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000bfij/