A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake has hit the eastern coast of Russia earlier today. The tremor, located on the Kamchatka peninsula, occurred in the early hours of Saturday, September 13, as reported by the US Geological Survey. This seismic event follows a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the same region a few weeks ago.
The epicenter of the recent earthquake was situated 111.7 km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, with a depth of approximately 39 km. Despite the significant magnitude of the quake, the US Tsunami warning system did not issue any tsunami alerts in response to the tremor.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued a tsunami forecast for various areas along the Pacific coast, including Kochi Prefecture. Although minor sea-level changes are expected, the agency has assured that there is no imminent risk of tsunami-related damage, predicting a wave height of less than 0.2 meters.
This recent earthquake is considered an aftershock resulting from the massive 8.8 magnitude quake that occurred off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in July. The earlier quake, one of the strongest recorded in history, produced tsunami warnings and evacuations in several countries, including Russia, Japan, and Hawaii. However, the impact of the latest 7.4 magnitude earthquake appears to be less severe, with the US Tsunami warning system issuing and later canceling a threat in response to the event.
According to the US Geological Survey, the quake’s epicenter was located 111.7 km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, with a depth of about 39 km. This recent seismic activity follows the major 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the region in July. The USGS has classified this latest earthquake as an aftershock of the previous significant event, which triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage from the recent earthquake. The population in the affected region is relatively limited, according to the USGS. Earthquakes result from the movement and interaction of tectonic plates, releasing energy in the form of seismic waves due to accumulated stress.
As of now, there are no official tsunami warnings, advisories, watches, or threats in effect. The earthquake occurred approximately 69.1 miles west of Kamchatsky, a city with a population of around 181,000 people. The Kuril-Kamchatka Arc, stretching over 2,100 km from Hokkaido, Japan to the Kuril Islands and the Kamchatka Peninsula, is known as one of the most seismically active regions globally.