A powerful magnitude‑6 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on August 9, marking the second major tremor in the region within a week amid ongoing volcanic activity on Kamchatka.
Earthquake Hits Near Kamchatka – Second in a Week
The European‑Mediterranean Seism Center announced that a magnitude 6 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on August 9, with its hypocenter at a depth of 10 km.
There are no reports of casualties or damage. This is yet another recent tremor in Russia, following another magnitude 6. quake last Sunday.
Vulcanic Eruption on Kamchatka
On August 3, the Krasninnikov volcano erupted, the first eruption in 600 years. The volcano, located in the Eastern Mountains, released ash plumes reaching up to 6 km high, engulfing part of the Kronotsky Biosphere Reserve. Rescue services noted no lava deposits along the flow path, and surrounding towns reported no ashfall.
Massive Pacific Earthquake & Tsunami
Between late July and early August, Russian research stations recorded numerous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the area. On July 30, an 8.8 magnitude quake struck Kamchatka. Subsequent tremors, ranging from 5 to 6.5, and several hundred aftershocks followed. A tsunami warning was issued across multiple Asian and American nations. The waves, reaching up to 5 meters, struck the port of Sveyar‑Kurilsk in Russia, flooding the municipal harbor and a fishing plant. A state of emergency was declared, and the tsunami lifted some vessels from the port onto the waters of the Second Kuril Strelka.
