Russia: Powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake rocks Kamchatka Peninsula, tsunami warning issued
What's the story
A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted the east coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Saturday, at 2:23am IST. The quake struck at a shallow depth of 10km, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded it as a stronger 7.4-magnitude quake with a deeper focus of 39.5km. The epicenter was located about 111.7km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city in the Kamchatka region.
Tsunami alert
Tsunami waves observed in Kamchatka Peninsula
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami warning for the region. So far, there have been no reports of injuries or damage to property due to this earthquake. However, the tremor did cause waves as high as four meters in some parts of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Coastal towns like Severo-Kurilsk were evacuated, and residents were advised to move away from shorelines immediately.
Japan's stance
Japan has not issued any tsunami alert
Japan, which lies southwest of Kamchatka, has not issued any tsunami alert after the earthquake, however. The Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed this through broadcaster NHK. The Kamchatka Peninsula is known for its seismic activity and was hit by a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake in 1952, one of the strongest ever recorded.