Shallow M5.9 Earthquake struck on Monday Night in the North Pacific Ocean 165km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Russia).

Written by Earthquakelist.org on March 8th, 2026. Last updated March 31st, 2026.

In the early morning of Monday March 9th, 2026, a shallow and significant M5.9 earthquake hit in the North Pacific Ocean 165 kilometer from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia. Around 260 thousand people have been exposed to shaking.

Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the North Pacific Ocean, 118 kilometers (73 mi) off the coast of Russia, 165 kilometer south of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Kamchatka. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 16 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Mar 9, 2026 05:08 (Kamchatka Time) - Mar 8, 2026 17:08 Universal Time.
Location:	165 km south of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka, Russia. Coordinates 51°39'7"N 159°23'37"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.9 Detected by 41 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.048 .
Depth:	16 km (10 mi) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	V Moderate On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 260 thousand people exposed to shaking

An estimated 260 thousand have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is IV, which corresponds with light shaking and likely no damage. Roughly 50 people are expected to be exposed to this level. The majority of people (roughly 260 thousand) live in an area exposed to level III, where weak shaking and probably no damage is expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Russia .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
0	II	Very weak	None
256,400	III	Weak	Probably none
50	IV	Light	Likely none
0	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Russia . Vilyuchinsk in Kamchatka, Russia is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 157 kilometer (98 mi) south-east of Vilyuchinsk. Vilyuchinsk experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly III. That level implies weak shaking and probably no damage.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
157 km (98 mi) NW from epicenter	Vilyuchinsk Kamchatka, Russia.	III Weak
165 km (103 mi) N from epicenter	Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Kamchatka, Russia.	III Weak
184 km (114 mi) N from epicenter	Yelizovo Kamchatka, Russia.	III Weak

Earthquake Intensity Map

The maximum intensity (MMI Scale) caused by this earthquake is IV. The map below shows in which areas this earthquake was the most and least impactful. It is based on data from the US Geographic Survey.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

18 Aftershocks detected

This main shock was followed by 18 smaller aftershocks. A 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit 23 hrs later 23 km (14 mi) east of this earthquake.

This main shock was prefaced by 9 smaller foreshocks. Nearby this earthquake a foreshock struck 3 days earlier. It measured a magnitude of 5.1

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Foreshock	M 5.1	3 days earlier Mar 6, 2026 17:00 (Kamchatka Time)	35 km (22 mi) E from Main Shock.
Foreshock	M 4.2	2 days earlier Mar 7, 2026 16:13 (Kamchatka Time)	63 km (39 mi) E from Main Shock.
Foreshock	M 4.2	2 days earlier Mar 7, 2026 16:13 (Kamchatka Time)	23 km (14 mi) S from Main Shock.
Foreshock	M 4.4	1 day earlier Mar 7, 2026 18:19 (Kamchatka Time)	29 km (18 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Foreshock	M 4.4	1 day earlier Mar 7, 2026 18:19 (Kamchatka Time)	22 km (14 mi) NE from Main Shock.
Foreshock	M 4.6	1 day earlier Mar 7, 2026 19:36 (Kamchatka Time)	5 km (2.9 mi) NE from Main Shock.
Foreshock	M 4.1	1 day earlier Mar 7, 2026 20:41 (Kamchatka Time)	95 km (59 mi) E from Main Shock.
Foreshock	M 4.2	21 hrs earlier Mar 8, 2026 08:34 (Kamchatka Time)	75 km (46 mi) S from Main Shock.
Foreshock	M 4.8	2 hrs earlier Mar 9, 2026 02:45 (Kamchatka Time)	12 km (8 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.9	Mar 9, 2026 05:08 (Kamchatka Time)	-
Aftershock	M 4.4	7 mins later Mar 9, 2026 05:16 (Kamchatka Time)	58 km (36 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 5.1	11 mins later Mar 9, 2026 05:19 (Kamchatka Time)	34 km (21 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 5.1	15 mins later Mar 9, 2026 05:23 (Kamchatka Time)	24 km (15 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.5	39 mins later Mar 9, 2026 05:47 (Kamchatka Time)	68 km (42 mi) S from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.9	47 mins later Mar 9, 2026 05:56 (Kamchatka Time)	28 km (17 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.5	1 hr later Mar 9, 2026 06:23 (Kamchatka Time)	23 km (14 mi) S from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.3	2 hrs later Mar 9, 2026 06:41 (Kamchatka Time)	21 km (13 mi) S from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.6	2 hrs later Mar 9, 2026 06:41 (Kamchatka Time)	52 km (32 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.4	2 hrs later Mar 9, 2026 06:43 (Kamchatka Time)	42 km (26 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.9	2 hrs later Mar 9, 2026 07:06 (Kamchatka Time)	4 km (2.7 mi) SW from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.3	2 hrs later Mar 9, 2026 07:20 (Kamchatka Time)	89 km (55 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.4	3 hrs later Mar 9, 2026 07:54 (Kamchatka Time)	9 km (5 mi) W from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.4	14 hrs later Mar 9, 2026 19:06 (Kamchatka Time)	40 km (25 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.7	23 hrs later Mar 10, 2026 03:57 (Kamchatka Time)	34 km (21 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 5.1	23 hrs later Mar 10, 2026 04:37 (Kamchatka Time)	23 km (14 mi) E from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.3	1 day later Mar 10, 2026 13:51 (Kamchatka Time)	26 km (16 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.7	2 days later Mar 10, 2026 23:47 (Kamchatka Time)	43 km (27 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.9	3 days later Mar 12, 2026 01:32 (Kamchatka Time)	61 km (38 mi) N from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since February 16th, 2026, when a 6 magnitude earthquake hit 126 km (78 mi) further west. An even stronger magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck on July 29th, 2025.

In total, 50 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.9 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 2 months.

Low tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.9. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 16 km (10 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 31/03/26 19:48 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.