World Watch
Alert In Pacific Region As 8.8 earthquake Triggers Tsunami Waves Off Russia, Japan
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 20.7 km, making it susceptible to aftershocks
An 8.8-magnitude undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, triggering tsunami waves in parts of Russia and Japan, and prompting alerts across the Pacific region.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 20.7 km, making it susceptible to aftershocks. Another earthquake of the same magnitude followed soon after, reported ANI .
“Notable quake, preliminary info: M 8.0 — 136 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia,” the USGS stated.
Two aftershocks followed, measuring 6.9 and 6.3 on the Richter scale.
“Notable quake, preliminary info: M 6.9 — 147 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia,” the USGS noted.
“Notable quake, preliminary info: M 6.3 – 131 km SE of Vilyuchinsk, Russia,” it added.
Tsunami waves of up to 3–4 meters were recorded in Kamchatka, according to regional emergency minister Sergei Lebedev.
Evacuations were ordered in Kamchatka, Japan, and other locations, including Hawaii, where a tsunami watch remains in effect.