The 1997 Kamchatka earthquake, or 1997 Kronotsky earthquake, occurred on December 5 at 11:26 UTC near the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

[2] It was an Mw 7.7 (7.6–7.8) earthquake and was felt with intensity MM V in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy.

The local tsunami generated by this earthquake affected a mostly unpopulated region.

A post-tsunami survey found runup (height above normal sea level) on the Kronotsky Peninsula was no more than a few meters.

[3] However, a later geological survey north of the peninsula, as well as an interview with a park ranger, indicate that runup was up to 8 meters (26 ft) along the coast near the Little and Big Chazhma rivers and north to the Storozh River.