Powerful earthquake strikes pacific off eastern Russia
Early Sunday morning, a powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 struck in the Pacific Ocean off the far eastern coast of Russia, near the significant naval base of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake occurred at a depth of 18 miles (29 kilometers) and its epicenter was approximately 63 miles (102 kilometers) east of the port city.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of over 181,000 people, is situated across a bay from a major Russian submarine base and is surrounded by active volcanoes.
The earthquake prompted a tsunami warning from the US National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Honolulu, which initially indicated that hazardous tsunami waves could impact coasts within 300 miles (480 kilometers) of the epicenter. However, this warning was later lifted. The center noted that minor sea level fluctuations might continue for several hours in coastal areas near the quake’s location.
As of now, there are no reports of damage or injuries.
