Three Powerful Earthquakes Strike Off Russia's Far East, Tsunami Alert Issued

Last Updated:July 20, 2025, 13:29 IST

The region was struck by 5.0-magnitude and 6.7-magnitude earthquakes, but they did not trigger a tsunami alert till another tremor of 7.4-magnitude.

The USGS to warn that "hazardous tsunami waves are possible" within 300 km of the epicentre in the Pacific. (Reuters/Representative)

Three powerful earthquakes of varying magnitudes struck off the coast of Russia’s eastern region of Kamchatka on Sunday, triggering a tsunami alert by the US Geological Survey.

The region was struck by 7.0-magnitude and 6.7-magnitude earthquakes, but they did not trigger a tsunami alert. However, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake at 0849 GMT prompted the USGS to warn that “hazardous tsunami waves are possible" within 300 kilometres (186 miles) of the epicentre in the Pacific.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. The initial earthquakes were followed by several aftershocks, including another 6.7-magnitude quake, said USGS. The epicentre was around 140 kilometres east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, capital of the Kamchatka region.

Meanwhile, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) indicated twin earthquakes of over 6.5 magnitude struck near the coast of Kamchatka on Sunday. It measured the quakes at 6.6 and 6.7 and the depth of both at 10 kilometres (6 miles).

The Kamchatka 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.

On November 4, 1952, a magnitude 9.0 quake in Kamchatka caused damage but no reported deaths despite setting off 9.1-metre (30-foot) waves in Hawaii. The US state of Alaska sits across the Bering Sea from the city, but no American territory appeared to be in the alert zone in the latest tremors in the region.

(with agency inputs)

Moscow, Russia

News world Three Powerful Earthquakes Strike Off Russia's Far East, Tsunami Alert Issued