Russian authorities say Kamchatka earthquake strongest on record

MOSCOW

The Russian authorities said an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the country's far eastern Kamchatka region on Wednesday was the strongest ever recorded.

The epicenter of the tremor was located 149 kilometers (92 miles) southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the administrative center of Kamchatka Krai, at a depth of 17 km (10.5 mi), regional governor Vladimir Solodov said on Telegram.

"This is the strongest earthquake in the entire instrumental observation period (observations, using special devices), with a magnitude of 8.8. We expect regular, prolonged aftershocks," he said.

The official urged citizens to remain calm, avoid panic, and trust only official information.

Later, the Kamchatka Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Unified Geophysical Service stated that the magnitude, according to varying evaluations, may have reached 8.7.

Offshore Kamchatka experienced eight earthquakes within an hour, each having a magnitude greater than 5, occurring at depths ranging from 7 to 100 km (4.3-62 mi), it said.

Scientists expect that aftershocks with magnitudes up to 7.5 will continue for at least another month.

The earthquake triggered a series of tsunamis affecting neighboring US and Japanese coastlines as well. In Russia, tsunami waves reaching heights of 3-4 meters (9.8-13 feet) were observed in multiple locations.

Due to the earthquake, a state of emergency has been introduced in the region, with all emergency services operating under heightened readiness protocols.

Authorities are organizing temporary shelters and delivering supplies to those who left their homes because of the risk of collapse.

Educational and sports facilities have been shut down in the region, while workdays have been shortened by several hours.

Currently, no casualties have been reported. Experts note that the earthquake was anticipated, predicted over the past 30 years, and preparations were made accordingly.

Throughout Kamchatka’s history, eight major earthquakes have been documented, with the last one in 2006, reaching a magnitude of up to 6.6.