Several earthquakes, including a 7.4 magnitude one, struck off the Russian coast on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, prompting brief warnings of potential tsunami waves on the nearby peninsula and farther across the Pacific in Hawaii.
A tsunami threat was initially issued off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System. The tsunami warning issued for all areas close to the Pacific was later cancelled, according to Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations.
That ministry had warned residents near the earthquake area that they should under “no circumstances” try to go to the shore to watch the tsunami. The ministry added, however, that “the height of the waves that may reach the coast is not high.”
“A tsunami wave with a height of no more than 60 cm is possible to approach the Aleutian Municipal District, no more than 40 cm to the Ust-Kamchatka Municipal District, and no more than 15 cm to the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka District,” Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement announcing the tsunami warning.
The alert followed several notable quakes that hit within about an hour off the coast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, according to USGS.
The first was a 7.0 magnitude quake in the sea about 142 km east of the city, USGS said, citing preliminary data. Within moments, a 6.7 magnitude quake struck some 130 km east of the city, followed by a series of quakes with magnitudes initially measured at 7.4, 6.7 and 6.6, according to USGS. Several lesser earthquakes of varying depths followed in the same area.
Smaller tsunami waves were possible in Hawaii, Japan and the Midway Atoll, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System said as the quakes struck. State and city officials in Hawaii issued tsunami watches, which were later canceled, according to the NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
“Tsunami Watch Issued – Prepare to Act! A Tsunami Watch means a tsunami is possible, but the situation is still being evaluated,” the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said on social media prior to the alert being canceled.
ABC News’ Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.
