Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Strikes Near East Coast Of Russia’s Kamchatka Region, Here’s What We Know

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Saturday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake hit 111 kilometers (69 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the main city of the Kamchatka region, at a depth of 39.5 kilometers. The tremor was powerful enough to raise fears of possible tsunamis in nearby areas.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued an alert, warning that “hazardous” waves could strike Russian coastlines within 300 kilometers of the epicenter. Officials urged residents in low-lying coastal regions to remain cautious and move to higher ground if necessary.

Initially, the USGS reported the earthquake’s strength at magnitude 7.5 but later revised it to 7.4 after further analysis.

Kamchatka, located in Russia’s Far East, is part of the seismically active “Ring of Fire” that circles the Pacific Ocean. The region regularly experiences earthquakes and volcanic activity, making it one of the most geologically active areas in the world.

This latest quake comes just weeks after a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the same peninsula in July. That event triggered tsunami waves up to four meters (12 feet) high across the Pacific, sparking widespread evacuations from Hawaii to Japan.

The July quake was the strongest since 2011, when a 9.1-magnitude earthquake off Japan unleashed a tsunami that killed more than 15,000 people and caused a nuclear disaster at Fukushima. Japanese authorities at the time ordered nearly two million people to evacuate coastal zones before the tsunami warnings were later downgraded or cancelled.

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