Strong Earthquake Strikes Russia’s Kamchatka, Tsunami Warnings Issued but No Major Damage Reported

A powerful earthquake struck Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula early Friday, triggering tsunami warnings across the region and parts of the nearby Kuril Islands, though no major damage has been reported.

Governor Vladimir Solodov confirmed that a tsunami warning had been issued for the peninsula’s eastern coast after the quake, which Russia’s Emergencies Ministry measured at magnitude 7.2. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), however, put the magnitude higher, at 7.8, with the epicenter located at a depth of about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Several aftershocks followed, some as strong as 5.8.

Local officials reported tsunami waves of 30 to 62 centimeters (1 to 2 feet) reaching the shoreline, but without significant impact. “This morning is once again testing the resilience of Kamchatka residents,” Solodov wrote on the Telegram messaging app. He said emergency services were on high alert and had begun inspections of residential buildings and social facilities, with no damage identified so far.

The U.S. National Weather Service and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a tsunami advisory for parts of Alaska but lifted it shortly afterward. The U.S. system said it had not detected a significant tsunami threat in the immediate aftermath of the quake.

Video circulating on social media showed light fixtures and kitchen furniture swaying, while small groups of residents briefly gathered in the streets.

The Kamchatka Peninsula, which juts into the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, is among Russia’s most seismically active regions. At least two earthquakes stronger than magnitude 7 have been recorded in the area over the past week.