Earthquakes were common in the Soviet Union, especially in the eastern regions such as the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kuril Islands, which lie along the Pacific Ring of Fire. These areas experienced frequent minor earthquakes as well as regular high-magnitude events. Other regions, including the Caucasus and parts of Central Asia, also recorded significant seismic activity.
The following is a list of notable earthquakes and tsunamis which had their epicenter in areas that were in the Soviet Union or otherwise had a significant impact on the Soviet Union.
Earthquakes
DateRegion MMIDeathsInjuriesTotal damage / notes 1991-04-297.0 IX270$1.7 billion.1990-07-136.4 IV432Regarded as the deadliest mountaineering disaster in history 1990-5-31 6.4 VII 1990-5-30 6.9 VIII14362$30 million1989-01-225.3 VII274Many injuries $24 million1988-12-076.8 X25,000–50,00038,000 (2017 estimate)31,000–130,000 $16.2 billion 1986-08-306.5 7.2 VIII2 (official)Over 150 (unofficial)55855,000 homes damaged 1985-10-135.8 IX29>80$200 million 1977-03-04 7.5 IX 1,578 in Romania120 in Bulgaria2 in Moldova11,221 in Romania165 in Bulgaria$2.048 billion 1976-10-254.5 VMost powerful earthquake recorded in Estonia 1971-05-105.3 28,000 buildings and structures damaged 1970-05-146.7 VIII311,000+ 1966-04-255.2 VII15-200 1963-10-207.8 Tsunami 1963-10-138.5 Tsunami 1959-05-048.0–8.3 VIII113Tsunami 1958-11-068.3–8.4 X 1952-11-048.8–9.0 XI2,336–14,000Most powerful earthquake to strike the Soviet Union and the fifth most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the world 1949-07-107.5 IX~7,200 1948-10-057.3 X10,000–110,000 1946-11-02 7.5–7.6 XUnknown 1940-11-10 7.7 X593 in Romania and 78 in Moldova1,271 in Romania65,000 homes destroyed 1931-04-276.5 IX390–2,890 1929-05-017.2 IX3,257–3,8001,121 1927-09-164.9 Sea receded at Balaklava Bay 1927-09-116.7 VIIITsunami 1927-06-266.0 VII–VIIITsunami 1926-10-226.0 IX360 1923-04-137.0–8.2 X36Tsunami 1923-02-038.4 XI3TsunamiM8.4 – near the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia United States Geological Survey
List of strongest earthquakes in the Soviet Union by Union Republic + Union Republic Magnitude Date Further information 6.8 1988-12-071988 Armenian earthquake 4.5 1976-10-25Osmussaar earthquake 7.0 1991-04-291991 Racha earthquake 7.5–7.6 1946-11-021946 Chatkal earthquake 7.5–7.6 1946-11-021946 Chatkal earthquake 7.7 1940-11-101940 Vrancea earthquake 8.8–9.0 1952-11-041952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake 7.5 1949-07-101949 Khait earthquake 7.3 1948-10-051948 Ashgabat earthquake 7.7 1940-11-101940 Vrancea earthquake 5.2 1966-04-251966 Tashkent earthquake
Short-lived Union Republics of the Soviet Union + Union Republic Magnitude Date Further information 6.7 1927-09-111927 Crimean earthquakes 6.5 1931-04-271931 Zangezur earthquake
See also List of earthquakes in Armenia List of earthquakes in Azerbaijan List of earthquakes in Georgia List of earthquakes in Kazakhstan List of earthquakes in Kyrgyzstan List of earthquakes in Moldova List of earthquakes in Russia List of earthquakes in Tajikistan
References