Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula has been hit by a massive earthquake, registering a magnitude of over 8.8, making it the strongest globally in over a decade. The USGS said the quake struck around 136km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, deep beneath the Pacific seabed.
Following the quake, tsunami warnings were activated for several countries bordering the Pacific Ocean. Japan, Russia, and the United States received alerts, while tsunami advisories were extended to Alaska, Hawaii, and islands in Micronesia and Guam.
Japan’s meteorological agency raised its warning level, forecasting waves as high as three metres and urging residents to avoid coastal areas. The Hawaii Civil Defense Agency said the tremor was strong enough to potentially cause destructive waves.
At the same time, the Klyuchevskoy volcano—one of Eurasia’s most active—has erupted, sending ash three kilometres into the sky. KVERT, a regional monitoring agency, said ash had spread over 58 kilometres and warned that further explosive activity could eject ash up to eight kilometres high.
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The volcano’s crater is reportedly nearly full of lava, and lava flows may begin soon. An orange warning for aviation has been issued due to the ash, though international air traffic is not expected to be affected.
Emergency services have asked people in low-lying areas to remain alert, follow official updates, and prepare for possible aftershocks or further eruptions. No injuries or damage have yet been reported.
The Kamchatka Peninsula lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a tectonically active zone responsible for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.