M7.0 Earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — 20 July 2025
A major earthquake of magnitude 7.0 was recorded near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia on , with an epicentre 142 km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a focal depth of 46.0 km. It was the strongest of the 16 earthquakes recorded in Russia in the preceding 30 days.
Time (UTC): 2025-07-20 06:28:21
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 7.0 (major)
Focal depth: 46.0 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 52.6000, 160.6000
Location: 142 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia
Country: Russia
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Available
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Major earthquakes cause serious damage across wide regions and are capable of destroying buildings that were not designed for seismic loading. Events at this size frequently trigger long aftershock sequences lasting months.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake radiates roughly 476,879 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 754, which meets the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
What the magnitude scale actually measures →
When it happened locally
That is about 17:10 local solar time at the epicentre, during the afternoon.
This event was deeper than 74% of the 1,906 earthquakes recorded in Russia in our catalogue and stronger than 100% of them.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 52.6000, 160.6000 — 142 km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake 15 km north of here on 20 June 2026.
The nearest other settlements in our records are Mil’kovo (166 km north-northwest), Atlasovo (213 km north) and Ozernovskiy (225 km south).
Why the 46 km depth matters
At 46 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
166 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 7.4.
1189 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 8.7 event near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on 29 July 2025. This M7.0 event released about 355 times less energy than that event.
11 earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, 2 of them in the past 30 days.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the July 2025 worldwide record, and of earthquakes in Russia during July 2025. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M5.8 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (15 km N)
- M6.0 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (20 km ENE)
- M6.6 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (22 km N)
- M4.3 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (27 km E)
- M5.2 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (35 km ENE)
- M4.5 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (37 km NE)
- M5.8 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (38 km ENE)
- M4.9 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (42 km SSE)
- M4.9 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (43 km NE)
- M4.4 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — (45 km N)
Other recent earthquakes in Russia
- M4.5 earthquake near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M4.6 earthquake near Vilyuchinsk, Russia —
- M5.5 earthquake near Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M4.6 earthquake near Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M4.5 earthquake near Vilyuchinsk, Russia —
- M4.0 earthquake near Terney, Russia —
- M4.6 earthquake near Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M4.2 earthquake near Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M5.0 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia —
- M4.5 earthquake near Vilyuchinsk, Russia —
Other magnitude 7 earthquakes worldwide
- M6.9 earthquake near Pematangsiantar, Indonesia —
- M7.1 earthquake near Uki, Japan —
- M7.1 earthquake near Uki, Japan —
- M6.8 earthquake near Uto, Japan —
- M6.9 earthquake near Kuji, Japan —
- M7.2 earthquake near San Felipe, Venezuela —
- M6.9 earthquake near Calama, Chile —
- M7.2 earthquake near Luganville, Vanuatu —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong was the earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky?
It measured magnitude 7.0 — a major earthquake. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake radiates roughly 476,879 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky?
The focus was 46 km below the surface, which counts as shallow.
Was the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky earthquake felt at the surface?
At magnitude 7.0 and a focal depth of 46 km, shaking would have been concentrated near the epicentre.
When did the earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky happen?
20 July 2025 at 06:28 UTC.
Was there a tsunami?
The USGS record carries a link to NOAA tsunami information for this event. That is not a warning: check your regional tsunami warning centre for any live alert.
Have there been aftershocks?
166 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 7.4.
How often do earthquakes happen near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky?
1189 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 8.7 event near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on 29 July 2025. This M7.0 event released about 355 times less energy than that event.