8.8 Megaquake on Kamchatka Peninsula... Russian port city flooded by 3-4m tsunami (Comprehensive 2nd Report)

Multiple aftershocks follow megaquake... Tsunami warnings and emergency evacuation orders issued for Japan, etc.

30cm tsunami observed in Hokkaido, Japan... "No significant impact on the Korean Peninsula"

Largest earthquake in Russia's Far East in 73 years on the 'Ring of Fire'... Hawaii, Philippines, and New Zealand on alert

Report on tsunami warning in Japan [Reuters Yonhap News File Photo. Reproduction and database prohibited]

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Jae-woo = A series of strong earthquakes occurred on the Kamchatka Peninsula bordering the Sea of Okhotsk in eastern Russia on the 30th (local time), causing some disaster in the surrounding areas.

Tsunami warnings were issued in Russia and Japan, along with emergency evacuation orders for coastal residents, and Hawaii, the Philippines, and other regions are also preparing for tsunamis.

While no news of large-scale earthquake damage has been reported on the Kamchatka Peninsula yet, some flooding damage due to tsunamis has been reported in port cities in the region.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 8.8 megaquake occurred in the sea east of the Kamchatka Peninsula at approximately 11:24 AM.

The epicenter was located 110 km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a Russian city with a population of 187,000. The depth of the hypocenter was determined to be 20 km.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and the USGS initially reported the magnitude of this earthquake as 8.7. The USGS later revised the magnitude upward.

Twenty-four minutes after the first strong earthquake, at approximately 11:48 AM, another magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred in the sea 99 km south-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Subsequently, earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 occurred consecutively in the sea east of Kamchatka at 12:09 PM and 12:16 PM, followed by aftershocks of magnitude 5.0 or higher.

Russian geological authorities stated that the magnitude 8.8 earthquake was the largest in Russia's Far East region since 1952, occurring 73 years later.

Vladimir Solodov, Governor of Kamchatka, also stated in a video posted on Telegram, "Today's earthquake was severe and the most powerful in decades."

No reports of serious casualties have been received from the local area due to the earthquake.

According to Russian state media, Kamchatka's health authorities stated that while injuries have occurred as a result of the earthquake, there are no serious injuries reported so far.

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued a warning after the first earthquake that dangerous tsunamis could reach Russia and Japan within three hours.

Kamchatka authorities reported that tsunamis of 3-4 meters in height were observed in some areas.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations stated in a statement that the port city of Severo-Kurilsk was flooded as the tsunami hit the coast. Severo-Kurilsk is a city on an island located below the southernmost tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Russia has issued an evacuation order for residents of coastal areas on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

The Japan Meteorological Agency also issued tsunami warnings for the Pacific coasts of Hokkaido and Honshu, and tsunami advisories for the Pacific coasts of Kyushu and Shikoku, and northern Hokkaido.

While an estimate of up to 3 meters in tsunami height was predicted for eastern Hokkaido, local media reported that a 30cm tsunami was observed.

The Japanese government has issued an emergency evacuation order for all areas where tsunami warnings have been issued.

Honolulu, Hawaii, and other areas also issued evacuation orders for coastal areas, stating that "destructive tsunamis are expected," and the Philippines, New Zealand, and other regions have also begun to prepare for the aftermath of the Kamchatka earthquake.

Although initial predictions suggested that tsunamis of less than 0.3 meters could reach the coasts of the Korean Peninsula, the Meteorological Administration stated that the Kamchatka earthquake would have no impact on the country.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of active seismic activity, and experiences frequent earthquakes of various magnitudes.

The Japan Meteorological Agency also announced that tsunami advisories have been issued for the Pacific coasts from Hokkaido to Kyushu, urging, "Tsunamis will repeatedly strike. Do not enter the sea or approach the coast until the advisory is lifted."

The height of the tsunami expected to reach Japan was estimated to be up to 3 meters.

NHK reported that the Japanese government had issued an emergency evacuation order.

Russian authorities also advised residents in coastal areas to evacuate, Reuters reported.

The PTWC predicted that tsunamis of less than 0.3 meters could reach the coasts of the Korean Peninsula.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of active seismic activity, and experiences frequent earthquakes of various magnitudes. Yonhap News