Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck off the eastern coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early on Sunday morning. According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC), the quake occurred at a depth of 51 kilometers (32 miles).
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake hit the waters east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, approximately 90 kilometers from the city. Following the event, the US National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami threat, but this alert was later rescinded as the danger passed. Local authorities did not issue a tsunami warning.
Several aftershocks were detected following the main quake, though they were of lower magnitude, according to the Kamchatka branch of Russia’s Unified Geophysical Service.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is situated within the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire,” an area known for its frequent seismic activity and numerous active volcanoes.
