Smith Point Lifeguards

Can a Russian Earthquake Send a Tsunami to Long Island?

After hearing about a big earthquake in Russia, some people might wonder if a tsunami could reach Long Island. The simple answer is no—a tsunami from Russia cannot hit Long Island.

Here’s why: Most powerful earthquakes in Russia happen near the Pacific Ocean, in places like the Kamchatka Peninsula or the Kuril Islands. These areas are on the other side of the world from Long Island, which is on the Atlantic Ocean. A tsunami from Russia would travel across the Pacific, but it can’t cross land—and the North American continent is in the way. Waves from that far away don’t have a path to reach the East Coast.

Tsunamis that could reach Long Island usually come from closer places, like the Caribbean Sea or the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. These rare events can be caused by underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions, or nearby earthquakes. Because they happen in the Atlantic, they have a direct path to Long Island’s shores.

Sometimes, tsunami warnings are shared after a Russian earthquake, but those alerts are for countries along the Pacific Ocean—such as Japan, Hawaii, or Alaska—not for the U.S. East Coast.

In short, while Russian earthquakes can create strong tsunamis, they do not affect Long Island. The oceans are separate, and land blocks the way.