High Magnitude Aftershocks Rock Russia Following Quake That Sparked Tsunami
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and surrounding Pacific Rim regions continued to experience seismic instability, with dozens of aftershocks being reported on Saturday by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
According to USGS's earthquake tracker map, some of those aftershocks have been up to a 6 magnitude. These fresh tremors in Russia followed an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the Kamchatka coast on Wednesday, which triggered a tsunami that sent waves across the Pacific, prompting evacuations and emergency declarations from Russia to Hawaii.
There were no immediate reports of damage following Saturday's aftershocks.
Newsweek has reached out to the USGS for comment Saturday via email during non-working hours.
Why It Matters
The aftershocks highlight persistent risks they pose and underscores the vulnerability of communities and global coastlines in the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region marked by intense tectonic activity.
Closely monitored aftershocks have prompted renewed safety concerns—further testing local and international emergency preparedness in the face of natural disasters that can send waves and repercussions thousands of miles from the epicenter.
What To Know
The initial magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck on Wednesday at a shallow depth of approximately 12 miles. Its epicenter was approximately 74 miles east-southeast of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, according to the USGS.
By Saturday, new tremors were confirmed in the region, including significant aftershocks measuring a magnitude of 6.07 and above on the Kuril Islands—already reeling from earlier flooding and property damage.
At least 50 aftershocks above a 4 magnitude have been reported since the initial earthquake, according to the USGS map.
Tsunami warnings rippled out from Russia on Wednesday, affecting Japan, Hawaii, the U.S. West Coast, French Polynesia, and Chile.
Immediate and widespread evacuations impacted over 2 million people as coastal towns braced for potential waves. The initial quake partially flooded Russian ports, damaged buildings, injured several people in the Kamchatka region, and triggered the eruption of the region's Klyuchevskoy volcano.
Drone footage reviewed by authorities revealed extensive shoreline inundation in Russian coastal towns, with the port of Severo-Kurilsk sustaining waves of up to 16 feet that briefly submerged critical infrastructure, the BBC reported.
Tsunami waves up to 3.6 feet reached California while Hawaii saw water pull back by as much as 30 feet. In Alaska, waves nearing three feet were recorded in Adak.
Aftershocks continue to hit after large earthquake that prompted Tsunami warnings.
Aftershocks continue to hit after large earthquake that prompted Tsunami warnings.
USGS
What People Are Saying
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a press briefing Wednesday: "We were fully deployed and ready to respond is necessary, but grateful that we didn't have to deal with the situation that this could have been."
Simon Boxall, oceanographer at the University of Southampton, per PBS: "It's a bit like throwing a very, very large rock into the sea and then watching the waves propagate away from that rock, that splash. And so that's what's happened in this case. And that's why this particular one has generated a tsunami. It's not huge. It's not one that's going to cause mass devastation. But it will cause coastal flooding and it will cause damage, and it does put lives at risk if people don't move to high ground.''
What Happens Next?
Damage assessment teams are continuing investigations in impacted Russian regions, with restoration efforts underway for ports and essential infrastructure.
The United States National Tsunami Warning Center and international partners continue to monitor the situation and urge any residents in affected areas to remain vigilant and avoid shoreline areas until further notice.
Scientists, meanwhile, have indicated the threat to U.S. coastlines has declined, but fluctuating currents still pose risks to swimmers and boaters.
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