Powerful 8.7 magnitude earthquake hits Russia’s far east, tsunami warnings issued

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.7 struck Russia’s far eastern coast on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Earlier, the quake was estimated at magnitude 8, but it was later upgraded to 8.7. USGS reported that the earthquake occurred about 136 kilometers (85 miles) from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and 19 kilometers deep.

After the quake, a tsunami warning was issued. In Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, Governor Vladimir Solodov urged residents to stay away from coastal areas. So far, only minor damage has been reported.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency also issued a tsunami alert, saying waves as high as 1 meter could hit some coastal areas, according to public broadcaster NHK.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated that based on initial data, a widespread and dangerous tsunami is possible.

Tsunami alerts were also issued for Hawaii and parts of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

Meanwhile, in Sakhalin Island, which lies southwest of the epicenter, local authorities have begun moving residents to safer areas, said Governor Valery Limarenko.

The earthquake’s epicenter was offshore near Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula, a sparsely populated and hard-to-reach region. Kamchatka lies in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” one of the most active earthquake and volcano zones in the world.