A powerful earthquake struck off Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Saturday, shaking coastal communities and triggering a short-lived tsunami alert. The tremor, which international monitors placed between magnitude 7.1 and 7.4, was felt across the region but caused no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) measured the quake at 7.1 with a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, while the U.S. Geological Survey reported a stronger 7.4 magnitude at nearly 40 kilometres deep. Its epicentre was located more than 100 kilometres east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the main city on the peninsula.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially flagged the risk of dangerous waves across parts of the Pacific Rim, before later confirming that the threat had largely passed. In Japan, authorities noted the possibility of slight sea-level changes but did not issue a formal warning.
Kamchatka, part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the world’s most active seismic zones, regularly experiencing strong earthquakes and volcanic activity. The region was hit by an even stronger 8.8 magnitude quake in July, which prompted widespread alerts across the Pacific but caused limited impact.
Local authorities said they continue to monitor the situation for aftershocks, while emergency services remain on standby. The quake highlights once again the vulnerability of communities along the Pacific arc and the importance of early-warning systems to mitigate risks.
