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Tsunami alert lifted in Russia after magnitude 7 earthquake near Kuril Islands
The Russian ministry said that while the expected wave heights are low, citizens should still move away from the shore as a precaution.
A tsunami was deemed possible in three areas of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Sunday following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake near the Kuril Islands, the country’s Ministry for Emergency Services said. However, following an assessment from the authorities, the tsunami warning has now been lifted.
“The expected wave heights are low, but you must still move away from the shore,” news agency Reuters quoted the Russian ministry's advisory posted on a Telegram channel, urging caution despite minimal projected impact.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Tsunami Warning System confirmed the quake’s 7.0 magnitude but stated that no tsunami warning had been issued.
The US Geological Survey also recorded the quake at magnitude 7. The region also saw an eruption from a dormant volcano, although further details on the eruption were not immediately available.
The latest Tsunami warning followed the second significant earthquake near Russia within a week. First on July 30, the region experienced a powerful 8.8 magnitude quake, followed by multiple strong aftershocks.
The Kuril Islands, where the latest quake occurred, stretch from the southern tip of Kamchatka. Russian scientists had warned of possible strong aftershocks in the region over the coming weeks.
The tremor also coincided with the overnight eruption of the Krasheninnikov volcano in Kamchatka — its first eruption in 600 years.
Eruption follows powerful quake that triggered global tsunami warnings
The eruption of the long-dormant Krasheninnikov volcano in Russia’s Far East may be linked to the massive earthquake that struck the region last week, triggering tsunami alerts as far as French Polynesia and Chile. The same quake was followed by the eruption of Klyuchevskoy, the most active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
"This is the first historically confirmed eruption of Krasheninnikov Volcano in 600 years," reported Reuters citing Olga Girina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team's statement to RIA.
According to Girina, the last known lava flow from Krasheninnikov occurred within 40 years of 1463, with no confirmed eruptions since.
The Kamchatka branch of Russia’s emergency services ministry reported that the volcano, which stands at 1,856 metres, sent an ash plume up to 6,000 metres (3.7 miles) high.
“The ash cloud has drifted eastward, toward the Pacific Ocean. There are no populated areas along its path,” the ministry said on Telegram.
The eruption has been assigned an orange aviation code, indicating increased risk for air traffic.
