Moscow
Two powerful earthquakes struck off the eastern coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Sunday, prompting a short-lived tsunami warning. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the larger of the two quakes measured 7.4 in magnitude, striking at a depth of 20 kilometres and located around 144 kilometres east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of nearly 180,000 people.
A smaller 6.7-magnitude tremor was recorded just minutes earlier in the same offshore region.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) initially issued a tsunami threat alert following the 7.4 quake. While coastal residents were urged to stay away from the shore, the alert was later downgraded and officially lifted after no significant tsunami waves were observed.
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry also issued a precautionary notice but confirmed that no injuries, casualties, or serious structural damage had been reported. Authorities said there was no need for evacuation, and normalcy was quickly restored in the affected region.
Seismic activity is common in the Kamchatka Peninsula, which lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an active tectonic zone known for frequent and intense earthquakes.
The situation is being closely monitored, and experts have not ruled out the possibility of aftershocks. Authorities have advised residents to remain alert but calm.
No disruptions to critical infrastructure or emergency services have been reported so far.