Monday, August 19, 2024 A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 struck the Pacific Ocean off the far eastern coast of Russia early Sunday, near the strategic port city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. According to the U.
S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at a depth of 18 miles (29 kilometers) beneath the surface, with its epicenter located approximately 63 miles (102 kilometers) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of over 181,000 people. Despite the earthquake’s significant magnitude, there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the region.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which is surrounded by volcanoes and located across a bay from a major Russian submarine base, appeared to have escaped the quake without serious consequences. Local authorities and residents have not reported any structural damage or casualties, indicating that the impact may have been minimal. The earthquake initially triggered a tsunami warning from the U.
S. National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Honolulu. The center warned that hazardous tsunami waves could potentially affect coastlines within 300 miles (480 kilometers) of the earthquake’s epicenter.
However, the tsunami threat was later assessed and downgraded. The PTWC lifted the warning after determining that the risk of a significant tsunami had passed. Although the tsunami warning was lifted, the PTWC noted that minor sea level fluctuations could still occur in some coasta.