Moscow | July 30, 2025
A huge earthquake of 8.8 in the Richter scale was felt off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, leading to tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific which includes Russia, Japan, and some parts of the United States.
As per the US Geological Survey (USGS) the quake was not deep and had a distance in the region of 19.3 kilometers (12 miles) and was situated at 125 kilometers (80 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk near Avacha Bay in Kamchatka. The magnitude of the quake was originally determined to be 8.0 however, it was later revised upwards to 8.8 and it was one of the strongest that has struck the region in recent years.
Tsunami Warnings and Evacuations
The USGS and the U.S. Tsunami Warning System have issued tsunami warnings and are predicting devastating waves along the coasts in Russia, Japan, Alaska and even as far as Guam as well as Micronesia in the first three hours following the earthquake.
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) expects waves of up to three meters (9.8 feet) to hit the coastal areas between 10 am and 11:15 at in local hour (0100-0230 GMT).
The Russian Emergency Services warned of possible tsunami waves of up to 32 centimeters (1 1 foot) and ordered evacuations to Severo-Kurilsk in the south of the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Alaska and the other Pacific islands are in high alert.
Chaos Captured on Video
Videos on the social networks from Kamchatka exhibits a violent shaking in structures, furniture being tossed around, and people scrambling to ensure security. One video illustrates the seismic monitor centre recording the earthquake while alarms sound. Another video shows a house shaking violently, but there has been no reported casualties to date.
Official Responses
Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov called the earthquake “the strongest in decades” He also confirmed that although the school was damaged, there were no injuries that had been reported until now. In the meantime, Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko confirmed that evacuation guidelines were being implemented in the threatening coastal towns.
Tectonic Background
Kamchatka is located in on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most volcanically volatile regions on Earth and is famous for its frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Authorities in the region are watching the situation with a keen eye, and have emergency services available.
