Azernews.Az

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia. The tsunami that followed flooded part of the city of Severo-Kurilsk. A state of emergency was declared in the Kamchatka region. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) announced in a statement that the earthquake, which occurred at 02:24 Turkish time (02:24 GMT), had its epicenter 119 kilometers southeast of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka on the peninsula. The statement reported that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 20 kilometers, lasted seven minutes, and had a magnitude of 8.8. A tsunami warning was issued following the earthquake, which was also recorded in the region with aftershocks of 6.9 and 6.3 magnitudes. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake, which occurred near the Kamchatka region, is one of the 10 largest earthquakes to have occurred in the world to date.

The Kamchatka Branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences announced on social media that the earthquake in Kamchatka reached a magnitude of 8.8. The disaster was the most powerful earthquake to occur in the region since 1952. The Russian Emergencies Ministry reported no casualties following the earthquake. Local authorities reported that approximately 2,700 people living in the region were evacuated.

Following the earthquake, Russia announced the possibility of dangerous tsunami waves along some coasts of California and Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of a significant tsunami risk for more than a day following the earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula. The agency had warned that sea level fluctuations in the region could continue for an extended period. A tsunami watch was issued for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Shortly thereafter, the first waves reaching 4 meters (13 feet) reached the Kamchatka Peninsula. Numerous aftershocks, the strongest of which measured magnitude 7, were reported following the Kamchatka earthquake. Thirty aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 2 to 5 were recorded. Officials from the Russian Academy of Sciences reported that aftershocks of magnitude 7.5 are expected for at least a month.

Tsunami waves reached the California coast and were recorded by tide gauges in the Arena Cove area. The waves were reportedly continuing southward along the coastline. The city of Huntington Beach closed its pier and beaches as a precaution. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated that harbor police and emergency officials were actively responding to the tsunami warning and urged residents to "remain vigilant, stay away from the waterline, and follow official instructions."

Russia's regional governor announced numerous injuries. A kindergarten was reportedly damaged. The governor of the region, who described the earthquake off the coast of Kamchatka as "the strongest in recent years," declared a tsunami threat and urged people to move away from the coastline. A state of emergency was declared in the region. The mayor told TASS that three tsunami waves struck a port in Severo-Kurilsk, tearing ships from their moorings and swept them into the strait. Severo-Kurilsk, a city with a population of 2,000, was also evacuated. Following the earthquake, the governor of Sakhalin Island in Russia's Far East announced a power outage. A 7.6 magnitude earthquake also struck the Kamchatka Peninsula last week.

Following the earthquake, Japan issued an emergency warning. The government had ordered evacuations for people in coastal areas. Following the warning, people began climbing onto the roofs of high-rise buildings. The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, which was damaged in the 9.0 magnitude earthquake on March 11, 2011, and where a nuclear leak occurred, was also evacuated.

A tsunami alert was also issued in the US. Warnings were issued for the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had requested immediate evacuations from coastal areas in Hawaii following the earthquake in the Pacific Ocean. However, the US Tsunami Warning Center later stated that a major tsunami was not expected to hit Hawaii and lifted evacuation warnings.

US President Donald Trump shared the following on social media: "Due to a major earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, a tsunami warning is in effect for residents of Hawaii. A tsunami watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific coast of the United States. Japan is also among the endangered areas. Stay strong and stay safe."

Following the powerful earthquake in eastern Russia, at least ten countries have issued tsunami warnings. These include Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador. According to seismologist Björn Lund, it could take hours to determine the extent of the damage. "These types of waves weaken very little as they travel over the sea, so we need to take the situation very seriously," he said.

Klyuchevskoy volcano on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula began erupting on Wednesday following an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of the island. The Joint Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences said in a statement on Telegram: "A burning, hot lava flow is observed on its western slope. There is a powerful glow and explosions above the volcano." Located about 450 kilometers north of the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka, Klyuchevskoy is notable as one of the world's tallest volcanoes. The volcano has erupted several times in recent years.

The earthquake that occurred in the Kamchatka region of Russia recalled similar examples in history. The 8.8-magnitude Kamchatka earthquake, which led to a state of emergency in the region and a tsunami warning in surrounding countries such as the United States and Japan, was one of the largest natural disasters to hit the region since 1952. The 9.5-magnitude Valdivia earthquake, which occurred in 1960 and whose epicenter was in Chile, is known as the largest recorded. This earthquake killed 1,600 people. The 9.2-magnitude earthquake in Alaska in 1964 lasted for just five minutes. The 9.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Indonesia's Sumatra Island in 2004 killed an estimated 230,000 people in southern and southeastern Asia and East Africa. The 2011 magnitude 9.1 earthquake in Japan's Tohoku region triggered high tsunami waves that caused leaks at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, resulting in the deaths of more than 18,000 people. The Kamchatka region, where today's earthquake occurred, was also the epicenter of a magnitude 9 earthquake in 1952. The 1965 magnitude 8.7 earthquake in Alaska triggered 11-meter tsunami waves but caused no casualties.