A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky region, located in the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia, during the early hours of Friday, September 19, news agency Reuters reported, citing the US Geological Survey. The tremors were at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles).
The latest tremors come days after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka region at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles) on Saturday, September 13, according to the United States Geological Survey. The US Tsunami Warning System has also issued a tsunami threat following an earthquake off the East Coast.
Volcanic eruption in August
The recent tremors were felt a month after a volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula erupted overnight, the first time in hundreds of years, just days after a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck, according to a report by PTI.
The volcano sent ash nearly 6 kilometres towards the sky, the staff at the Kronotsky Reserve, where the Krasheninnikov volcano is located, reported. State media released images showing dense clouds of ash rising above the volcano.
“The plume is spreading eastward from the volcano toward the Pacific Ocean. There are no populated areas along its path, and no ashfall has been recorded in inhabited localities,” the report quoted Kamchatka’s emergencies ministry message on Telegram.
Volcano erupted, accompanied by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake, and led to a tsunami warning being issued for three areas of Kamchatka. The warning was subsequently lifted by Russia’s Ministry for Emergency Situations.
8.8 magnitude earthquake in Kamchatka
In August, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit the Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula area, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
It’s been reported that this earthquake is the most devastating since the 2011 Tohoku quake, which happened near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and led to a tsunami that caused the meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
(With inputs from agencies.)
