A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early Sunday morning, according to the Associated Press. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), however, reported the quake as a 7.0 magnitude. The tremor, which occurred at a depth of nearly 50 kilometers (30 miles), was centered around 90 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Following the quake, the US National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami threat, with the possibility of waves reaching up to 1 meter (3 feet) above tide level along parts of Russia’s eastern coast. The warning is currently limited to coastal areas in Russia.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, but as of now, no reports of significant damage or casualties have been confirmed. Updates are expected as more information becomes available.
(Sources: Agence France-Presse, AP, CNN, Sky News, and Reuters)