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A tsunami warning was issued after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake and multiple strong aftershocks struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Hawaii was briefly on alert. Here’s what we know.

Major Earthquakes Strike Off Kamchatka Coast, Prompting Tsunami Alert

A tsunami warning was issued on Sunday after a series of powerful earthquakes, including a magnitude 7.4 tremor, struck off the Pacific coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The epicentre of the strongest quake was located approximately 140 kilometres (87 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital of Kamchatka, a remote and seismically active region in the Russian Far East.

Multiple Quakes in Quick Succession

Within just 32 minutes, the region was rocked by three major earthquakes:

• M7.4 – the most powerful in the sequence

• M6.7 – two separate quakes

• M5.0 – struck less than 30 minutes before the largest tremor

Three additional aftershocks were recorded soon afterward, one of which registered at magnitude 6.6, further shaking the region.

Germany’s GFZ monitoring center also detected the quakes and initially recorded one of them as magnitude 6.7, before upgrading it to 7.4.

Tsunami Alerts Issued and Lifted

The US National Tsunami Warning Center initially issued tsunami alerts for Russia’s Kamchatka coast and the U.S. state of Hawaii. The warning for Hawaii was lifted a short time later as threat assessments were updated.

Authorities in Russia are monitoring the situation closely, although there have been no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage.

Location and Seismic Risk

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, with a population of over 163,000, is situated on the Kamchatka Peninsula—a region that lies on the Ring of Fire, where the Pacific and North American tectonic plates converge.

This geological positioning makes Kamchatka one of the most seismically active zones in the world, prone to both earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Global Earthquake Activity Increasing

This series of quakes comes amid a spate of seismic events around the globe. Just days earlier:

• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off New Zealand

• A 6.3-magnitude quake hit off the coast of Ecuador

• A powerful tremor in Peru left at least one person dead and several injured

Authorities Urge Vigilance

While no major tsunami has materialized so far, emergency services and geological monitoring agencies continue to assess the potential for aftershocks or delayed tsunami effects. Coastal residents in affected areas are urged to remain alert.

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry has yet to issue a detailed statement, but local authorities in Kamchatka have confirmed that seismic monitoring and emergency protocols are in place.

 More Topics

• Russia earthquake 2025

• Kamchatka tsunami warning

• magnitude 7.4 earthquake Russia

• Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky quake

• USGS earthquake update July 2025

• Ring of Fire seismic activity

• tsunami alert Hawaii July 2025

• Kamchatka seismic zone

For live updates and safety guidance, follow official alerts from the USGS, Russian emergency authorities, and the US National Tsunami Warning Center.