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White beluga whales and their strange link with Russia's 8.8 earthquake
White beluga whales and their strange link with Russia's 8.8 earthquake

Time of India

time14 minutes ago

  • Science
  • Time of India

White beluga whales and their strange link with Russia's 8.8 earthquake

Natural disasters often hit the landscape without warning, leaving the affected people scrambling to respond. Yet, throughout history, there have been interesting stories of animals sensing danger before such events actually happen. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While science is still looking for answers about such phenomena, social media has become a hub for sharing such accounts. Recently, a powerful earthquake rocked Russia, causing tsunami warnings across multiple countries. Along with this event, a viral video showing beluga whales stranded on a Kamchatka shore sparked renewed interest in the idea that animals might sense impending natural calamities. This incident has led many to question whether animals' unusual behavior could serve as early warnings, helping humans prepare for disasters. An 8.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Kamchatka The massive earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. The quake's epicenter was approximately 20.7 kilometers deep and about 119 kilometers from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, as reported by the Associated Press. Initially, the magnitude was recorded at 8.0 by agencies in Japan and the US, but the US Geological Survey later upgraded it to 8.8. This powerful tremor triggered tsunami warnings in several countries, including the United States, Japan, Chile, and New Zealand. The viral beluga whale video A video widely shared on social media shows five beluga whales, including a calf, stranded on a Kamchatka shore. The whales appeared to have ventured into shallow waters and became trapped as the tide receded. Fishermen in the video can be seen keeping the whales moist and helping them return to the ocean as the tide rises again. According to users online, this event happened just a day before the earthquake and near its epicenter, sparking speculation that the whales' behavior was a warning sign of the disaster. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now One social media user wrote, 'THE ANIMALS WARNED US – AND WE DIDN'T LISTEN. Just yesterday, five beluga whales washed ashore in Kamchatka, Russia, the exact epicenter of today's record-shattering magnitude 8.8 earthquake. Nature always knows first. This was the warning.' Are animals nature's early warning system? Throughout history, animals showing unusual behaviour before natural disasters have puzzled scientists and the public. For example, before the devastating 1975 earthquake in Haicheng, China, authorities noticed nervous animal behavior and evacuated residents in time. Similarly, during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, many animals fled to higher ground ahead of the disaster, alerting nearby humans. It is believed that many animals can sense changes in the Earth's magnetic field or pick up on vibrations and subtle environmental cues humans cannot detect. Beluga whales, known for their social nature and unique features like their 'melon' forehead, might be among these sensitive creatures. However, experts caution that while these observations are intriguing, they require further scientific validation and proof. Beluga whales are sensitive creatures Belugas are distinct white whales known for their social pods and ability to navigate vast ocean spaces. Born grey or brown, they gradually turn white by age five. Their large forehead, called a melon, helps with echolocation, making them skilled at sensing underwater environments. Some scientists say that animals like belugas may detect subtle changes in Earth's magnetic field, helping them anticipate seismic activity. While the authenticity of the viral video remains unverified, some suggest it could be old footage.

6.5 magnitude quake hits Russia's Kuril Islands amid series of aftershocks
6.5 magnitude quake hits Russia's Kuril Islands amid series of aftershocks

Business Standard

time2 hours ago

  • Climate
  • Business Standard

6.5 magnitude quake hits Russia's Kuril Islands amid series of aftershocks

An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 struck east of the Kuril Islands on Thursday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said. As per the statement, the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km, making it susceptible to aftershocks. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 6.5, On: 31/07/2025 10:57:14 IST, Lat: 49.51 N, Long: 158.75 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: East of Kuril Islands." Earlier on Wednesday, another earthquake of magnitude 6.3 struck the Kuril Islands at a depth of 10 km. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 6.3, On: 30/07/2025 08:00:37 IST, Lat: 50.64 N, Long: 157.49 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Kuril Islands." The massive 8.8 magnitude quake on Wednesday is tied for the sixth strongest ever recorded. There were no casualties in Russia, the Kremlin said. Around 125 aftershocks of magnitude 4.4 or greater have occurred near Russia in the more than 16 hours since the massive 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast, according to data from the US Geological Survey, CNN reported. Of those, three have been magnitude 6.0 or greater, with the strongest being a 6.9 that occurred about 45 minutes after the main shock. Strong aftershocks continue to rock the region, with a 6.4 magnitude aftershock striking around 200 miles southwest of yesterday's main quake's epicenter just before 11am (local time) on Wednesday. Aftershocks are generally strongest and most numerous in the hours to days after the main earthquake, decreasing in number and intensity as time goes on. Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and greater casualties. Meanwhile, the tsunami advisory for Hawaii has been lifted after a massive earthquake off Russia's far eastern coast put the region on high alert. Tsunami warnings for the US coastline and Japan were downgraded to advisories earlier, as per CNN.

Pacific avoids major damage after powerful quake off Russia
Pacific avoids major damage after powerful quake off Russia

RNZ News

time6 hours ago

  • Climate
  • RNZ News

Pacific avoids major damage after powerful quake off Russia

The tsunami waves, caused by a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia, have now rolled on southeastward toward South America. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Caleb Fotheringham Pacific countries have emerged relatively unscathed from a restless night punctuated by tsunami warning sirens. The tsunami waves, caused by a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia, have now rolled on southeastward toward South America. According to the US Geological Survey, there have been around 80 aftershocks of magnitude 5 or higher around the area, and there is a 59 percent chance of a magnitude 7 or higher shock within the next week. "It is most likely that 0 to 5 of these will occur," it stated. This video grab from a drone handout footage released by Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences on 30 July, shows tsunami-hit Severo-Kurilsk on Paramushir island of Russia's northern Kuril islands. Photo: Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences The Guardian reported that a 6.4-magnitude quake struck around 200 miles southwest of the epicenter at about Wednesday 11am local time (ET). As such, while there are no longer any formal warnings or advisory notices in the Pacific, the threat of tsunami waves remains. Metservice said that waves as high as 3 metres are still possible along some coasts of the northwestern Hawai'ian islands. Waves between 1 and 3 metres tall are possible along the rest of Hawai'i, as well as as French Polynesia, Kiribati, Samoa and the Solomon Islands. In Fiji, an advisory was put in place until 10:15pm local time, though the National Disaster Risk Management Office (NDMO) has reminded citizens to remain alert and continue to follow official updates. The office said people should take this as an opportunity to update their family emergency plans and evacuation routes. The NDMO also called on citizens to refrain from spreading false or unverified information in the wake of the cancellation. Advisory notices were cancelled in the early hours of the morning across Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, French Polynesia and the American Territories. Samoa was the last to rescind theirs, at around 4am local time. No damage or major incidents have been reported. In the Cook Islands, the Meteorological Service warned residents to anchor their boats and tie down their washing lines. "A big boss high-pressure system chilling way down southwest is flexing hard - sending savage southerly swells and grumpy southeast winds across the group like it owns the reef." "A sassy low-pressure trough is making a dramatic entrance tomorrow, rolling in with clouds, showers, and random thunderclaps like it's auditioning for a Cook Islands soap opera." In Hawai'i, an evacuation was ordered after 12pm local time along the coast of Oahu, including in parts of Honolulu, before waves began to arrive after 7pm. As local media reported, intense traffic jams formed across Oahu as authorities evacuated people in coastal communities, and a sense of panic stirred. Lauren Vinnel, an emergency management expert at Massey University, told RNZ Pacific that the ideal scenario would have been for people to leave on foot. "We know that this is where public education and practicing tsunami evacuation is really important. "We know that if people have identified their evacuation route and have practiced it, it's much easier for them to calmly and safely evacuate when a real event does occur." The advisory notice was lifted across Hawai'i at 8:58am local time. Meanwhile, tsunami sirens sounded on and off overnight in Tonga until authorities cancelled the warning for the kingdom at around midnight local time. Siaosi Sovaleni, Prime Minister of Tonga, during the 2022 volcano eruption and subsequent tsunami, said he was pleased the country's emergency alert systems were working. "The population is better informed this time around than the last time. I think it was much more scary (in 2022)...nobody knew what's happening. The communication was down." Vinnel said that she was satisfied overall with how Aotearoa responded. "Obviously, it's not ideal that initially we didn't think there was a tsunami threat based on the initial assessment of the magnitude of the earthquake. But these things do happen. I'm not sure that there was anything that could have been done differently." John Townend, a geophysics professor at Victoria University of Wellington, told RNZ Pacific that these happen frequently around the world,"but one of this size doesn't really happen more often than about once every decade." The last time an earthquake surpassed the magnitude 8 level was the 2011 Tōhoku disaster, which clocked out at 9.1. But Townend said that the characteristics of the "subduction zone earthquake," were largely in line with expectations for it's kind, a "subduction zone earthquake". "They have happened repeatedly in the past along this portion of the Kamchatka Peninsula.... these things happen in this part of the world. "In a New Zealand context, this earthquake was about one magnitude unit bigger than the Kaikoura earthquake and it released about 30 times more energy."

8.8-magnitude quake jolts Russia's far east
8.8-magnitude quake jolts Russia's far east

Express Tribune

time7 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

8.8-magnitude quake jolts Russia's far east

This image courtesy of the US Geological Survey shows the epicenter of the earthquake. Photo: AFP One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Russia's sparsely populated Far East on Wednesday, causing tsunamis up to four metres (12 feet) high across the Pacific and sparking evacuations from Hawaii to Japan. The magnitude 8.8 quake struck off Petropavlovsk on Russia's Kamchatka peninsula and was the largest since 2011 when one of magnitude 9.1 off Japan caused a tsunami that killed more than 15,000 people. Almost two million people in Japan were told to head to higher ground and tsunami warnings were issued across the region, before being rescinded or downgraded -- though scientists warned of the danger of powerful aftershocks. While the immediate area around the quake seemed to have been spared, people on the other side of the Pacific were gearing up for the impact of a tsunami expected to hit overnight. Ecuador's Galapagos Islands off the west coast of South America closed visitor sites and schools, ushering tourists to dry land as a precaution. "The boats haven't gone out to fish," said a fisherwoman in Puerto Ayora on the islands who did not want to be named. "We've been warned through the loudspeakers that it's best not to approach the coastline." In Russia's far east, a tsunami flooded the port town of Severo-Kurilsk, crashing through the port area and submerging the local fishing plant, officials said. Russian state television footage showed it sweep buildings and debris into the sea. Authorities said the population of around 2,000 people had been evacuated. The waves reached as far as the town's World War II monument about 400 metres from the shoreline, said Mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov. Several people were injured in Russia by the quake, state media reported, but none seriously. "The walls were shaking," a Kamchatka resident told state media Zvezda. "It's good that we packed a suitcase, there was one with water and clothes near the door. We quickly grabbed it and ran out... It was very scary," she said. Later Wednesday, the authorities in the Kamchatka peninsula announced the tsunami warning had been lifted. Officials from countries with a Pacific coastline in North and South America — including the United States, Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia — issued warnings to avoid threatened beaches and low-lying areas.

Some facts about the strongest earthquakes ever recorded
Some facts about the strongest earthquakes ever recorded

1News

time7 hours ago

  • Science
  • 1News

Some facts about the strongest earthquakes ever recorded

One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Russia's Far East yesterday, causing tsunami waves to wash ashore in Japan and Alaska and calls for people around the Pacific to be on alert or move to higher ground. The 8.8 magnitude temblor set off warnings in Hawaii, North and Central America and Pacific islands south toward New Zealand, with officials warning that the potential tsunami danger may last for more than a day. Follow our live updates here The US Geological Survey believes the earthquake would potentially tie with the sixth largest earthquake recorded, which happened in Chile in 2010, but said it needs more data to verify that. Here's a glance at some of the most powerful earthquakes recorded previously, according to the USGS. ADVERTISEMENT 1. Biobío, Chile A 9.5 magnitude earthquake struck in a central region of Chile in 1960. Known as the Valdivia or Great Chilean earthquake, the largest ever recorded temblor resulted in more than 1600 deaths in Chile and beyond, most of them caused by a large tsunami. Thousands of people were injured. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including tsunami threat remains for NZ and quake sparks Russian volcanic eruption, plus the pop star and the politician spotted having dinner. (Source: 1News) 2. Alaska In 1964, a 9.2 magnitude earthquake jolted Alaska's Prince William Sound, lasting for almost 5 minutes. More than 130 people were killed in the largest recorded earthquake in the US and subsequent tsunami. There were huge landslides and towering waves that caused severe flooding. The event was followed by thousands of aftershocks for weeks after the initial quake. 3. Sumatra, Indonesia A 9.1 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami devastated Southeast and South Asia and East Africa in 2004, killing 230,000 people. Indonesia alone recorded more than 167,000 deaths as entire communities were wiped out. ADVERTISEMENT 4. Tohoku, Japan A magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan in 2011, triggering a towering tsunami that smashed into the Fukushima nuclear plant. It knocked out power and cooling systems and triggered meltdowns in three reactors. More than 18,000 people were killed in the quake and tsunami, some of whom have never been recovered. See the latest on TVNZ+ 5. Kamchatka, Russia In 1952, a magnitude 9.0 quake caused significant damage but no reported deaths despite a tsunami that hit Hawaii with 9.1-meter waves. 6. Biobío, Chile An 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit central Chile in 2010, shaking the capital for a minute and half and setting off a tsunami. More than 500 people were killed in the disaster. ADVERTISEMENT 7. Esmeraldas, Ecuador In 1906, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami killed about 1500 people. Its effects were felt for miles along the Central American coast and as far away as San Francisco and Japan. 8. Alaska In 1965, a magnitude 8.7 quake struck Alaska's Rat Islands, causing an 11-meter-high tsunami. There was some minor damage, including cracks in buildings and an asphalt runway. 9. Tibet At least 780 people were killed when a magnitude 8.6 earthquake struck in 1950. Dozens of villages were destroyed, including at least one that slid into a river. There were also major landslides that jammed the Subansiri River in India. When the water eventually broke through, it resulted in a deadly 7-meter wave. 10. Sumatra, Indonesia ADVERTISEMENT In 2012, a powerful 8.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra in Indonesia. Though the quake caused little damage, it increased pressure on a fault that was the source of the devastating 2004 tsunami.

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