7.4 The earthquake of magnitude strikes off the Russian coast, which prompted brief alerts to tsunami in Russia, Hawaii
Several earthquakes, including a magnitude of 7.4, struck the Russian coast on Sunday, according to the US Geological Survey, which prompted brief warnings of potential tsunami waves on the neighboring peninsula and further through the Pacific in Hawaii.
A threat of tsunami was initially issued off the coast of the Russian Kamchatka peninsula, according to the American tsunami alert system. Tsunami’s warning issued for all areas close to the Pacific was then canceled, according to the Russian ministry for emergency situations.
This ministry had warned the residents near the earthquake area which they should “no circumstance” try to go on the shore to watch the tsunami. However, the ministry added that “the height of the waves that could reach the coast is not high”.
“A wave of tsunami with a height of less than 60 cm is possible to approach the municipal district of the Aléoutiennes, no more than 40 cm from the municipal district of the UST-KAMCHATKA, and no more than 15 cm in the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka district,” said the ministry of emergency situations in a statement announcing TSUNAMI WARNING.
The alert followed several notable earthquakes which struck about an hour off the coast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, in Russia, according to the USGS.
The first was an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 in the sea about 142 km east of the city, said the USGS, citing preliminary data. In a few moments, an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck about 130 km east of the city, followed by a series of earthquakes with amplitudes initially measured at 7.4, 6.7 and 6.6, according to USGS. Several lower earthquakes of variable depths followed in the same area.
Smaller tsunami waves were possible in Hawaii, Japan and Atoll Midway, the warning system of American tsunami said while earthquakes struck. State and city officials in Hawaii published Tsunami watches, which were then canceled, according to NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
“Tsunami Watch issued – Prepare to act! A tsunami watch means that a tsunami is possible, but the situation is still being evaluated,” the Ministry of Honolulu emergency management said on social networks before the alert is canceled.
Jessica Gorman from ABC News contributed to this report.
