Three powerful earthquakes struck Russia’s eastern coast near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on Sunday, July 20, triggering a tsunami alert across the Pacific. The earthquake started with magnitudes of 5.0 and 6.7 and followed by a series of heavy aftershocks. But the third one—a whopping 7.4 in magnitude—led to a tsunami warning by the US Geological Survey.
The epicentre was about 140 kilometres to the east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the capital city of Russia’s Kamchatka province. The alert warned that dangerous tsunami waves were conceivable within 300 kilometres of the epicentre. Although the Kamchatka peninsula is close to US ground on the other side of the Bering Sea, no U.S. lands seemed to be in the peril zone.
Strong Tremors Shake Kamchatka Region
The Kamchatka peninsula, which has always been famous for its seismic instability, is located at the boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. It is among the most seismically active regions globally. Sunday’s triple tremor started with a 5.0-magnitude quake followed by a 6.7-magnitude quake soon after. The early shocks did not set off any tsunami warning. But a more powerful aftershock, measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale, raised further fears.
This was followed by the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that compelled authorities to make tsunami warnings. The USGS, monitoring the event in real-time, put out a warning for all places that are within 300 kilometres of the epicentre in the Pacific Ocean.
USGS Issues Tsunami Warning
The United States Geological Survey moved quickly following the third quake, stating that “hazardous tsunami waves are possible.” While the US state of Alaska is just on the other side of the Bering Sea, initial assessments indicated that no U.S. territory was in the immediate tsunami danger zone.
To date, no reports of damage or fatalities have occurred in the immediate aftermath. Nonetheless, emergency systems in the Russian Far East continued on alert.
History of Significant Quakes in the Region
Kamchatka has not experienced such strong tremors before. There have been at least seven significant earthquakes of magnitude 8.3 or greater in the region since 1900. The peninsula’s geological position, where two tectonic plates are colliding, makes the peninsula very seismically active.
People who live in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and its environs are accustomed to earthquake exercises and emergency procedures. Nevertheless, Sunday’s three-quake series has rekindled concerns regarding preparedness and regional infrastructure protection.
Aftershocks Possible
Seismologists are warning that aftershocks will persist in the coming days. The authorities have urged people to stay on guard and heed official advice. Though the tsunami alarm has not been issued in the US, Pacific nations and Russia’s Far Eastern regions are keeping close watch.
The quakes remind us of the destructive power concealed beneath the Earth’s surface, particularly in tectonically active regions such as Kamchatka.
