Russia Earthquake Tsunami Warning Issued
The earthquakes were centered in the Pacific Ocean, with the epicentre located around 150km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The USGS expected waves of up to 3.3 feet on Russian coasts, and less than one foot in Japan and Hawaii. Russia's emergency situations ministry warned of waves up to 60cm in the Commander Islands and 15-40cm in the Kamchatka peninsula.
A series of powerful earthquakes, including a 7.4 magnitude quake, struck off Russia's Pacific coast near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on Sunday, prompting a tsunami warning that was later lifted after determining there was no longer a danger of tsunami waves.
The earthquakes, which also included a 6.7 magnitude quake, occurred within 32 minutes of each other and were centered about 140km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a tsunami warning, but later downgraded it and lifted the alert. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 7.4-magnitude quake at 1:49pm PKT, prompting a tsunami warning for some coasts. The epicentre was in the Pacific Ocean, around 150km east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The quakes were followed by several aftershocks, including another 6.7-magnitude quake.
Russia's state-run TASS news agency reported that waves of up to 60 centimeters could reach the sparsely populated Aleutsky District, while the Ust-Kamchatsky region and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky urban district could see waves of up to 40 centimeters and 15 centimeters respectively. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center cancelled a tsunami watch for the state of Hawaii.
The earthquakes have raised concerns about the potential for tsunami waves in the region, but the alert has been lifted and emergency services are continuing to monitor the situation. The earthquakes are a reminder of the seismic activity in the region and the importance of being prepared for natural disasters.