Strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Kamchatka and triggers tsunami alerts

Moscow. – A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 was recorded this Thursday in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the Russian Far East, generating moments of panic among the population and prompting the issuance of tsunami alerts by the Russian authorities and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Images and videos showing the intensity of the earthquake began circulating on social media. In a recording taken at the airport of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital, it is observed how the monitors near the counters move violently while the passengers react with surprise. Other witnesses managed to capture how objects inside their homes and vehicles parked on the street were shaken by the effect of the tremor.

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According to the USGS, the earthquake's epicenter was located 128 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski, with a depth of just 10 kilometers, which amplified its effects on the surface.

Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov reported that after the earthquake, teams were deployed to conduct a rapid inspection of social institutions and residential buildings in order to rule out serious damage or casualties.

So far, local authorities have not confirmed any loss of life, although damage assessment is ongoing. Both Russian and American institutions maintain the tsunami alert as a precautionary measure, pending the exclusion of major risks in coastal areas.