KAMCHATKA (Kashmir English): A Powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake has struck off the east coast of Russia, prompting a tsunami warning.
According to foreign media reports, a strong earthquake of magnitude 8.8 has struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka region of Russia.
According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was approximately 136 kilometers east of the city of Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, at a depth of 19 kilometers.
According to the Russian minister, tsunami waves of 3 to 4 meters high were recorded in different parts of Kamchatka after the earthquake.
There are also reports of a few people being injured due to the earthquake.
After the strong earthquake, a 4-meter high tsunami wave hit the coastal region of Severo-Kurilsk in Russia, and some buildings were damaged in the incident, and several people were injured.
The governor has instructed citizens to move to higher places to protect themselves.
According to Russian media, the magnitude of the earthquake was 8.7, but it was the strongest earthquake in the Kamchatka region since 1952. It caused the collapse of a school wall. There were no casualties as the school was empty at the time of the earthquake.
Authorities say that aftershocks of the earthquake are expected to occur within a month, which could be as strong as 7.5.
Tsunami warning issued
Authorities have asked citizens to evacuate the town of Severo-Korlesk for now, after which evacuations are underway. A tsunami advisory has been issued in the Pacific Ocean due to possible tsunami waves.
Japan and the Philippines have also issued emergency warnings, while the United States has issued tsunami warnings for the states of California, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.
In addition, a tsunami warning has been issued for British Columbia. Notably, in early July this month, five earthquakes occurred in the sea near the Kamchatka region of Russia, the largest of which was 7.4 in magnitude.
Experts have expressed concern that if the current earthquake intensity and wave strength reach the level of 1952, there could be widespread damage in other areas, including Hawaii. In the 1952 earthquake, 30-foot-high tsunami waves were recorded in Hawaii.
Tsunami Warning in Indonesia
In response to an 8.7-magnitude earthquake in Russia on Wednesday afternoon, Indonesia’s geophysics office warned that tsunami waves of less than 0.5 meters could strike some areas of the country.
According to a statement from the agency, the tsunami might make its way to a few coastal towns and cities in the Gorontalo province, North Maluku province, and the Papua area.
Tsunami Warning in Philippines
The Philippines’ seismology office warned residents to avoid beaches in coastal districts that face the Pacific Ocean because tsunami waves less than one meter are predicted to hit these locations.
Following a magnitude 8.7 earthquake that occurred off the Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia on Wednesday, PHIVOLCS issued the advisory.
