Tsunami alert follows 7.4 magnitude Kamchatka aftershock (VIDEOS)
A 7.4 magnitude aftershock struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Saturday, according to the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences, prompting a tsunami warning and putting all emergency services on high alert.
Governor Vladimir Solodov said the tremors in the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, were felt at around 2:37am GMT.
“All services have been put on high alert... Specialists have begun inspecting socially significant facilities and residential buildings after the strong aftershock,” Solodov announced in a statement on Telegram.
While no serious damage has been reported so far, officials have urged residents to remain cautious, particularly along the coast.
“A tsunami threat has been declared. We ask everyone to be especially careful when visiting Khalaktyrsky Beach and other tsunami-prone areas,” the governor said.
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry in Sakhalin said waves up to 0.37 meters could reach the islands of Paramushir and Shumshu in the Severo-Kurilsky district.
“The waves reaching the coast will not be very high, but it is NECESSARY to stay away from the shore,” the ministry said in a statement. “Do not attempt to drive to the coast to watch the tsunami – it could be dangerous!”
The aftershock follows the historic 8.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Kamchatka on July 30 – the strongest in the region since 1952. That quake displaced the peninsula by nearly two meters, lowered parts of its elevation, and triggered tsunamis as far away as Japan and the US Pacific coast.
It also unleashed a wave of seismic and volcanic activity. The Krasheninnikov volcano erupted for the first time in 600 years, while Klyuchevskaya Sopka, one of Eurasia’s tallest volcanoes, experienced its most powerful eruption in 70 years. Scientists recorded a total of seven active volcanoes in the aftermath, calling it a rare “parade of eruptions.”
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as aftershocks persist. Solodov urged residents to “remain calm and pay attention only to information from official sources.”
