A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck near the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka region on Friday morning, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The major quake triggered a brief tsunami warning across the region and as far away as Alaska, though no damage has been reported so far.
The earthquake occurred at 6:58 a.m. local time with its epicenter located about 127 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of roughly 165,000 residents. The temblor struck at a depth of 19.5 kilometers and was followed by a series of aftershocks up to 5.8 magnitude.
Tsunami Warning and Emergency Measures
The quake triggered a tsunami warning for parts of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands, north of Japan. Authorities reported waves between 30 and 62 cm (1–2 ft) along the Kamchatka coast. Russia’s Emergencies Ministry reported a magnitude of 7.2 for the quake, slightly lower than the USGS measurement.
Governor Vladimir Solodov said all emergency services were placed on high alert, but no damage has been reported.
“This morning is once again testing the resilience of Kamchatka residents,” Solodov wrote on Telegram. “Immediately after the earthquake, we began a rapid inspection of social institutions and residential buildings.”
Video Footage from Kamchatka
Videos shared online show light fixtures and kitchen furniture swaying as the earthquake struck, while small groups of residents gathered outside buildings for safety.
A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Kamchatka, Russia 🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/IXdZzJwX8x
— Disaster News (@Top_Disaster) September 18, 2025
This earthquake comes just a week after a 7.4-magnitude quake hit near the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. In late July, the remote region was struck by an 8.8-magnitude quake, one of the strongest ever recorded, which generated tsunami waves that reached as far away as Hawaii and California.
Video showing the shaking from the (prelim) M7.8 earthquake off the coast of Kamchatka, Russia a short while ago… pic.twitter.com/3HVGzxIPwB
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) September 18, 2025
