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Massive 8.8 earthquake hits Russia: 4-meter tsunami strikes Kamchatka

Powerful 8.7 magnitude earthquake strikes Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering 4-meter tsunami waves and evacuation orders across Pacific region.

Massive 8.8 earthquake hits Russia: 4-meter tsunami strikes Kamchatka
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A powerful earthquake measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale was recorded in the early morning hours of Wednesday (02:35 Greek time) off the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia.

The seismic event was located 131 kilometers southeast of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), which initially estimated the earthquake’s magnitude at 8.0 on the Richter scale. Meanwhile, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Institute (EMSC) calculated the tremor at 7.6 on the Richter scale.




The earthquake, which occurred at a shallow focal depth of 19.3 kilometers, was felt throughout the entire Kamchatka Peninsula. While information regarding damage or casualties remains unclear for now, authorities have issued warnings for a potential tsunami and are closely monitoring the development of aftershocks. Emergency response teams are on standby.

Already, waves 3 to 4 meters high have been recorded in certain areas of the region, according to an announcement from the local branch of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Videos that circulated show the tsunami reaching the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky shortly after the powerful earthquake.

Russia earthquake: tsunami warnings issued

The earthquake that occurred off the Russian coast triggered tsunami warnings due to its proximity to the seismically active Kamchatka Peninsula. The region is known for major historical earthquakes, with a notable example being the devastating 1952 earthquake that exceeded 8.0 on the Richter scale. This aligns with data from the US Geological Survey, which identifies the area as being at the boundaries of active tectonic plates.

Tsunami warnings extend to Japan, Alaska, and possibly Guam due to the dynamics of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan in 2011 caused waves up to 40 meters high, according to studies published in Nature Geoscience.

Earthquake causes panic – injuries reported in Kamchatka

Injuries were reported on the Kamchatka Peninsula as a result of the powerful earthquake, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. Among the incidents was a man who jumped from a window while in panic, as well as a woman who was injured at a regional airport in the area. None of the injured sustained serious wounds, according to statements by regional Health Minister Alec Melnikov.

Following the strongest earthquake recorded “in decades” in the region, an order was given to urgently evacuate all residents of a small town in Sakhalin due to the tsunami threat, Russian regional governors reported.

“Today’s earthquake is serious, the strongest in decades,” emphasized Vladimir Solodov, the governor of Kamchatka. According to him, initial reports indicate no fatalities, though a kindergarten sustained damage.

According to Sakhalin governor Valery Limarenko, an order was given to urgently evacuate all residents of the small town of Severo-Kurilsk due to the tsunami warning.

On July 20, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake, followed by numerous aftershocks, was recorded in the same region. No major damage was reported.

The Pacific and North American tectonic plates intersect beneath the Kamchatka Peninsula, meaning this region has some of the highest seismic activity on the planet.

The Russian peninsula, which separates the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean, is among the areas “most exposed to earthquakes in the world,” as described by the USGS.

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