
Russia earthquake: Five powerful quakes rock Kamchatka, tsunami warning for Hawaii lifted — Here's all you need to know
The seismic event occurred on Sunday, with the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) initially reporting the quake of a magnitude of 6.7, which was later updated to 7.4 magnitude.
The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) also confirmed the earthquake to be of 7.4 magnitude.
The earthquake originated at a shallow depth of 10 km, off the east coast of Kamchatka, shortly after a previous quake, according to Reuters, citing GFZ data.
Following the earthquake, the US National Tsunami Warning Center promptly issued a tsunami watch for the state of Hawaii, which was cancelled shortly afterwards.
Russia's Emergencies Ministry also issued a tsunami warning following the largest quake, urging residents of coastal settlements to stay away from the shore area.
Similarly, Russia's state-run TASS news agency later reported that a tsunami warning for Kamchatka was also lifted by citing local emergency services, Reuters reported.
Earlier forecasts had predicted waves of up to 60 cm reaching several parts of the region, including the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the news agency reported.
The Kamchatka peninsula is the centre point of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates where they meet, making it a hot zone for seismic activity.
Since 1900, seven powerful earthquakes of magnitude 8.3 or higher have struck the Kamchatka area, causing destruction across the region.
On November 4, 1952, an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 struck Kamchatka, though it caused damage but no deaths were reported after the incident. Surprisingly, No fatalities occurred despite setting off 9.1-meter (30-foot) waves in Hawaii.

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Russia earthquake is among world's strongest ever. But why was the damage minimal?
Several buildings were destroyed and many people were left injured after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka region on Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings across Japan and the US West Coast and Hawaii. Despite the intensity of the quake and resulting tsunami, damage near the epicentre was reportedly limited read more Tsunami waves flood an area after a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, in Severo-Kurilsk, Sakhalin Region, Russia. Reuters A powerful earthquake measuring 8.8 struck off the coast of Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka region on Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings across Japan and the US state of Hawaii. The tremor destroyed buildings and left many people injured. Authorities in large parts of Japan and parts of Hawaii issued evacuation orders. 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Shallow quakes like this often cause more movement of the seafloor, which can generate larger tsunami waves. Still, it is difficult to know the full impact so soon after the quake. Despite the strength of this earthquake and tsunami, the damage was less severe than in some past disasters. Factors such as the wave direction, local geography, and immediate evacuations may have helped reduce the impact this time, BBC reported. 'God help me': Residents recount massive Kamchatka earthquake A state of emergency was declared in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky after the powerful earthquake struck the region. Residents of the city, located 149 kilometres from the epicentre, described scenes of chaos: buildings swayed, furniture toppled, cars appeared to 'dance' in the streets, and even cranes at the harbour were seen shaking. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A Kamchatka native with family in the area told The Moscow Times, 'Everything's fine, but everyone is absolutely freaked out. It was the strongest earthquake in decades.' He said his relatives had decided to leave the city for their dacha, adding that many others seemed to be doing the same. Several Kamchatka residents turned to social media to describe what they had experienced. One user wrote, 'I have been living in Kamchatka for 42 years, but it was the first time I felt such an earthquake. I screamed so much: 'God help me,' although I am generally calm during earthquakes. Everything at home was smashed.' The report also pointed to a rise in resort prices, as some businesses appeared to take advantage of people seeking safety. According to the local edition of Argumenti i Fakti, emergency services in the city saw a spike in calls after the quake. Many residents reported symptoms like high blood pressure, arrhythmia and seizures. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies

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15 hours ago
- Mint
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a day ago
- Hindustan Times
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