MOSCOW, Russia: A strong 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka peninsula early Friday, sending tremors through buildings and prompting a tsunami warning that was later lifted.
Videos circulating on Russian social media showed furniture rattling and cars swaying as the quake, recorded at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers by the US Geological Survey (USGS), jolted residents in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, some 128 kilometers from the epicenter, reports AFP.
The local geophysical service estimated the quake at 7.4 magnitude and confirmed at least five aftershocks. Authorities said there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage, though residents were urged to remain cautious.
Kamchatka, part of the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” frequently experiences powerful quakes. Just two months ago, an 8.8-magnitude event in the same region triggered a tsunami that inundated parts of a coastal village.
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert for possible hazardous waves along nearby coastlines, but said several hours later that the threat had passed.
“This morning is once again testing the resilience of Kamchatka residents,” the governor of the region, Vladimir Solodov, said on Telegram.
“There are currently no reports of damage. I ask everyone to remain calm,” he added.
The Kamchatka peninsula lies on a tectonic belt known as the Ring of Fire, which surrounds most of the Pacific Ocean, and is a hotspot for seismic activity.
In July, an 8.8-magnitude mega-quake off the region’s coast triggered a tsunami that swept part of a coastal village into the sea and sparked warnings around the Pacific.
