Magnitude-7 Earthquake Strikes Off Russia's Far East

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia's Far East

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake has struck off the northeastern coast of Russia, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter was located approximately 103 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a coastal city with a population of about 165,000. The quake had a depth of 29 kilometers and occurred in the early hours of August 18 local time, the USGS said on its website. According to CNN, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System said hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 300 kilometers of the epicenter along the coasts of Russia. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is the capital of the Kamchatka region, a cold and sparsely populated peninsula about 2,600 kilometers west of Alaska.