Very strong M7.0 earthquake hits off the coast of Kamchatka, Russia — hazardous tsunami waves possible

A very strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.0 hit off the coast of Kamchatka, Russia at 19:10 UTC on August 17, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 50 km (31 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.0 at a depth of 51 km (32 miles).

The epicenter was located 106.7 km (66.3 miles) ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (population 181 216), and 116.7 km (72.5 miles) ESE of Vilyuchinsk (population 24 204), Kamchatka, Russia.

53 000 people are estimated to have felt strong shaking, 214 000 moderate and 11 000 light.

Based on preliminary earthquake parameters (M7.4), hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake epicenter, NWS PTWC said.

Estimated times of arrival (ETA) of the initial tsunami wave for locations with a potential tsunami threat:

Petropavlovsk, Russia (53.2°N 159.6°E) at 19:45 on August 17

Actual arrival times may vary, and the initial wave may not be the largest, the center said.

A tsunami is a series of waves, with the time between waves ranging from five minutes to one hour. The hazard may persist for many hours or longer after the initial wave.

Impacts can vary significantly from one section of the coast to another due to local bathymetry and the shape and elevation of the shoreline. Impacts can also vary depending on the state of the tide at the time of the maximum tsunami waves. Persons caught in tsunami waters may drown, be crushed by debris, or be swept out to sea.

After updating magnitude to M7.0, PTWC said the tsunami threat still exists.

“Based on all available data, hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts,” the center said. “Tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to 1 m (1 – 3.3 feet) are possible for some coasts of Russia.”

The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities. There is a low likelihood of casualties.

A Yellow alert was issued for economic losses. Some damage is possible and the impact should be relatively localized. Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of Russia. Past events with this alert level have required a local or regional level response.

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are adobe block and unreinforced brick with mud construction.

Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as tsunamis that might have contributed to losses.

Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking

Selected cities exposed

Regional seismicity