A powerful earthquake registering 7.8 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Kamchatka in the far east of Russia on Friday, according to the United States Geological Survey, prompting authorities to issue warnings about potential tsunami waves.
Video footage shared on Russian social media captured the strong tremors shaking buildings and a parked car in the streets.
The quake occurred approximately 128 kilometers east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a shallow depth of ten kilometers, leading the U.S. and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to alert about possible hazardous waves along nearby coastal areas.
Estimates from the local branch of the Russian geophysical observatory indicated that the earthquake was actually measured at 7.4 in intensity, with the center reporting at least five aftershocks.
Vladimir Solodov, the regional governor, stated on Telegram, “The resilience of Kamchatka’s residents is being tested once again.” He added that there have been no reports of damage and urged everyone to remain calm, noting that a tsunami warning has been issued for the eastern coast of the peninsula.
Kamchatka Peninsula is situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area known for intense seismic activity where tectonic plates converge. This region stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia to the Pacific Basin and down to South America.
In July, a tsunami hit the Russian town of Severo-Kurilsk after an earthquake measuring 8.8, the strongest to occur in the area in about 73 years, struck off the Kamchatka coast.