Latest news with #EmergenciesMinistry


CBS News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Tsunami threat ends after large quakes strike off Russia's Pacific coast
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says there is no longer a danger of tsunami waves on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula after five powerful quakes — the largest with a magnitude of 7.4 — struck in the sea nearby on Sunday. The largest quake was at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles) and was 144 kilometers (89 miles) east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Smaller — but still substantial — quakes were recorded before and after. Russian state media said, citing local geologists, that over two dozen aftershocks had hit Kamchatka. It added their strength was gradually receding. The PTWC initially said there was a danger of major tsunami waves but later downgraded its warning before finally saying the danger had passed. Russia's Emergencies Ministry also issued a tsunami warning following the largest quake, urging residents of coastal settlements to stay away from the shore. In addition to the tsunami threat for parts of Russia, the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center issued a separate tsunami watch was issued for the state of Hawaii, which ended several hours later. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, and the ministry said it had no plans to evacuate residents. Just over two hours later, it reported that the danger had passed. On Nov. 4, 1952, a magnitude 9.0 quake in Kamchatka caused damage but no reported deaths despite setting off 9.1-meter (30-foot) waves in Hawaii.


Japan Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Japan Times
Tsunami alert lifted after powerful quakes off Russian coast
A tsunami alert was lifted after a series of powerful earthquakes off the coast of Russia's Far East on Sunday did not result in deadly waves, according to the Russian emergencies ministry. Earlier on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey issued a tsunami alert, forecasting "hazardous waves" after a 7.4-magnitude quake at 0849 GMT, which was the strongest of a series of earthquakes in the northern Pacific Ocean. The USGS said it expected waves of between 30 centimeters and one meter on Russian coasts, and less than 30 centimeters in Japan and the U.S. state of Hawaii. "The tsunami threat to populated areas in Kamchatka has passed," said Russia's emergencies ministry a few hours later. This was also confirmed by the local governor, Vladimir Solodov, who said that by the estimated arrival time of the first wave, "no tsunami has been observed in any populated areas". However, he warned of possible aftershocks, which are usual during seismic events and can trigger further earthquakes. The epicenter of the quakes was in the Pacific Ocean, around 150 kilometers east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the USGS said. The series of aftershocks included a 6.7-magnitude quake, it added. Russia's emergencies ministry wrote on Telegram that it expected waves of up to 60 centimeters in the Commander Islands in the southwestern part of the Bering Sea, and waves of 15 to 40 centimeters in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The peninsula is the meeting point of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates, making it a seismic hot zone. Since 1900, seven major earthquakes of magnitude 8.3 or higher have struck the area.

ABC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Magnitude-7.4 earthquake hits Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, tsunami threat cancelled
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) says there is no longer a danger of tsunami waves hitting Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula after five powerful earthquakes — the largest with a magnitude of 7.4 — struck in nearby waters on Sunday. The largest quake was at a depth of 20 kilometres and was 144 kilometres east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000. The smaller — but still substantial — quakes were recorded before and after, including a quake with a magnitude of 6.7. The PTWC initially said there was a danger of major tsunami waves but later downgraded its warning before finally saying the danger had passed. Russia's Emergencies Ministry also issued a tsunami warning following the largest quake, urging residents of coastal settlements to stay away from the shore. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, and the ministry said it had no immediate plans to evacuate residents. An earlier tsunami warning for Hawaii was also cancelled. The German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) indicated twin earthquakes of more than magnitude-6.5 struck near the coast of Kamchatka, in Russia's far east, early on Sunday. It measured the quakes at 6.6 and 6.7 and the depth of both at 10 kilometres. Measurements of earthquakes often vary in the first hours after they occur. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Russia's state-run TASS news agency reported, citing local emergency services, that waves of up to 60cm could reach the sparsely populated Aleutsky District on the Commander Islands. Waves of up to 40cm may affect the Ust-Kamchatsky region in eastern Kamchatka, while the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky urban district — the most densely populated area in the south-eastern part of the peninsula and home to the regional capital — might see waves of up to 15cm. On November 4, 1952, a magnitude-9.0 quake in Kamchatka caused damage but no reported deaths despite setting off 9.1-meter waves in Hawaii. AP/Reuters


NDTV
4 days ago
- Climate
- NDTV
Tsunami Warning Issued After 2 Massive Earthquakes Off Russia's Pacific Coast
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a threat forecast for Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula after two quakes - the larger with a magnitude of 7.4 - struck in the sea nearby on Sunday. The larger quake was at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles) and was 144 kilometers (89 miles) east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000, according to the US Geological Survey. A few minutes earlier, a quake with a magnitude of 6.7 was recorded nearby. The PTWC initially said there was a danger of major tsunami waves but later downgraded its warning to say that waves of up to a meter (3.3 feet) could occur. Russia's Emergencies Ministry also issued a tsunami warning following the second quake, urging residents of coastal settlements to stay away from the shore. There were no immediate reports of casualties. On November 4, 1952, a magnitude 9.0 quake in Kamchatka caused damage but no reported deaths despite setting off 9.1-meter (30-foot) waves in Hawaii.

Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Tsunami threat after 2 large quakes off Russia's Pacific coast
MOSCOW (AP) — The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a threat forecast for Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula after two quakes — the larger with a magnitude of 7.4 — struck in the sea nearby on Sunday. The larger quake was at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles) and was 144 kilometers (89 miles) east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A few minutes earlier, a quake with a magnitude of 6.7 was recorded nearby. The PTWC initially said there was a danger of major tsunami waves but later downgraded its warning to say that waves of up to a meter (3.3 feet) could occur. Russia's Emergencies Ministry also issued a tsunami warning following the second quake, urging residents of coastal settlements to stay away from the shore. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, and the ministry said it had no immediate plans to evacuate residents. On Nov. 4, 1952, a magnitude 9.0 quake in Kamchatka caused damage but no reported deaths despite setting off 9.1-meter (30-foot) waves in Hawaii.