According to official data, a series of earthquakes shook the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia’s Far East on Monday, with the most powerful reaching a magnitude of 6.6. There have been no reports of fatalities or significant damage.
The 6.6-magnitude quake struck around 3 p.m. local time, about 50 kilometres from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the peninsula’s only major city, according to data released by the local branch of the United Geophysical Service. It was followed by at least five smaller tremors, none of which had a magnitude greater than 4.6.
According to the regional emergency services, there have been no reports of casualties or collapsed buildings. “However, there is information about damaged plaster and cracks that have appeared in some buildings,” they said, adding that first responders were still inspecting the affected buildings.
The governor of Kamchatka Region, Vladimir Solodov, confirmed this information, adding that in one case, concrete debris fell off a building in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. “Fortunately, no one was injured,” he added.
Local media outlets’ videos show parts of ceiling panels lying on the floor of one building in the aftermath of the earthquake. Other footage shows supermarkets with merchandise strewn about the aisles.
