By Euronews with AP
Published on
One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck off the coast of Russia on Wednesday, injuring several people, according to local authorities.
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake’s epicentre was around 119 kilometres from the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000, on the Kamchatka peninsula.
Tsunami waves reached as high as 10-15 metres in some sections of the Kamchatka coast, according to Russia’s Oceanography Institute.
Scientists expect aftershocks at magnitudes of up to 7.5, according to the local branch of the Russian Emergency Ministry. It said more tsunamis are possible near the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Head of the regional health department Oleg Melnikov said several people were hurt as they left buildings and a hospital patient was injured. A local kindergarten was also reportedly damaged. All injured were in stable condition, Melnikov said.
The Klyuchevskoy volcano, one of several on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, started erupting after the earthquake, according to local media.
Authorities in the Kuril Islands in Russia’s Far East introduced a state of emergency following the tsunami. The islands are situated in between Kamchatka and Japan.
They reported flooding in the fishing port of Severo-Kurilsk, the main city on the islands, and downed electricity. The port’s mayor said no significant damage was recorded, but that a tsunami alert remains in place.
Tsunami waves were sent to Japan, Hawaii and other places across the Pacific after the earthquake in Russia.
While no substantial damage has been reported so far, authorities are warning people to stay away from the shorelines.