Moscow, Russia — The powerful earthquake that struck the Kamchatka Peninsula early this morning has been confirmed as the strongest seismic event in the region since 1952, according to the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The quake, which originated near the Pacific Ocean coastline, was recorded at a magnitude of 8.7 on the Richter scale, as reported by state news agencies TASS and Reuters.
Due to its intensity, the earthquake triggered emergency tsunami warnings for Russia’s eastern seaboard and several other countries bordering the Pacific Ocean.
The Geophysical Service warned that the seismic activity is not yet over:
“Given the strength of the main quake, we should expect strong aftershocks, potentially reaching up to magnitude 7.5,” the agency stated.
“Additional powerful tremors are expected to continue for at least one month.”
Authorities across the Pacific Rim are on high alert, closely monitoring the evolving situation and advising citizens to follow evacuation and safety protocols as aftershocks and tsunami risks persist.
