Tsunami scare after huge earthquake off the coast of Russia

A tsunami alert was briefly issued after multiple earthquakes, some dangerously strong, struck off the southeast coast of Russia.

Tsunami alerts were briefly issued after multiple earthquakes struck off the coast of Russia.

The strongest of those quakes, which were measured in quick succession, came in at 7.5-magnitude on the Richter scale.

A tsunami alert was in effect for the American state Hawaii, which is located in the northeast Pacific Ocean, but has since been withdrawn. Alerts were also issued for Guam and American Samoa, but those have been rescinded as well.

Alerts were also later withdrawn for Russia.

Tsunami alert after powerful quakes strike off coast of Russia. Picture: USGS

According to the United States Geological Survey, there were three earthquakes in quick succession. The first was at 5.0-magnitude, the second at 6.7, and the last at 7.4, which was a fraction higher according to other measurements.

The USGS warned that “hazardous tsunami waves are possible” within 300 kilometres of the epicentre in the Pacific, off the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

That city has a population of about 160,000 people.

The USGS reports expected wave heights of 30 centimetres to one meter along Russian coasts, and less than 30 centimetres in Japan and Hawaii.

The Kamchatka peninsula is the meeting point of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates, making it a seismic hot zone.

Since 1900, seven major earthquakes of magnitude 8.3 or higher have struck the area.

The initial earthquakes were followed by several aftershocks.

The Kamchatka peninsula is the meeting point of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates, making it a seismic hot zone.

- with AFP

Originally published as Tsunami scare after huge earthquake off the coast of Russia