A powerful undersea earthquake on a Richter scale 8.8 magnitude quake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula has triggered tsunami alerts across the Pacific region, affecting countries from Japan to the United States.

• It is the strongest quake in the region since 1952, according to the Russian Academy of Sciences.
• Tsunami waves hit Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s Hokkaido island shortly after the earthquake.
• Indonesia, and the Philippines issued tsunami alerts for vulnerable coastal zones.

About Kamchatka Peninsula

• Location: Far eastern Russia
  • Between the Sea of Okhotsk (west) and Pacific Ocean & Bering Sea (east)
  • At the junction of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates 
• Geographical Features:
  • It is about 1,200 km long north-south and about 480 km across at its widest.
  • River: Kamchatka River 
  • Highest Point: Klyuchevskaya Sopka – tallest & most active volcano
  • Climate: Tundra – cold, snowy winters; cool, wet summers
  • Environment: Harsh terrain; rich biodiversity; low population density (<1 person/sq. km)
• Volcanic & Geothermal Activity:
  • Over 150 volcanoes, including 29 active
  • Part of UNESCO World Heritage Site – Volcanoes of Kamchatka
  • One of the most geothermally active regions in the world.
• Kuril Archipelago:
  • Extends south from Kamchatka to Japan’s Hokkaido
  • Disputed territory between Russia and Japan

Kamchatka’s Seismic Vulnerability

• Kamchatka is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a major seismic zone.
  • It lies at  junction of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates
• It has a history of major quakes (e.g., 1952, 2006, 2020), many of which caused tsunamis. 

The Ring of Fire

• The Ring of Fire spans 40,000+ km, shaped like a horseshoe around the Pacific.
• Includes subduction zones involving Eurasian, North American, Australian, Philippine and other plates.
• Seismic Activity: Tectonic plates collide, slip, or subduct, causing frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
• Geothermally active region: Rough plate edges get stuck and suddenly release, triggering quakes.

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