Strong earthquakes hit Russia's Pacific coast, tsunami warning issued
What's the story
Three strong earthquakes hit the Pacific coast of Russia's far east on Sunday. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 7.5-magnitude earthquake at a depth of 10km off Kamchatka's east coast. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) initially recorded it as a 6.7 magnitude tremor, which was later upgraded by both the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and USGS to 7.4 and 7.5, respectively. The tsunami warning was triggered specifically by the 7.5-magnitude earthquake.
Preceding tremors
Epicenter located near Petropavlovsk
Before the major quake, two other earthquakes of 5.0 and 6.7 magnitudes had struck the region but did not trigger any tsunami alerts. The US National Tsunami Warning Center issued a watch for parts of Russia and Hawaii after the 7.5-magnitude quake. Hazardous tsunami waves are possible within a radius of 300km from the epicenter, which is located in the Pacific Ocean near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city.
Ongoing monitoring
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation after these powerful earthquakes. Coastal residents in affected areas have been urged to stay vigilant amid the tsunami warning. So far, there have been no reports of significant damage or casualties from these earthquakes. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had also issued a warning for the Kamchatka Peninsula after the larger quake struck nearby on Sunday.