Kamchatka hit by the strongest earthquake in 70 years, tsunami threatened – video

On July 30, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 to 8.7 on the Richter scale struck Russia's Kamchatka region. A tsunami threat was announced in the region, a kindergarten and shops were damaged, said the governor of the Kamchatka Territory, Vladimir Solodov.

The earthquake occurred at 11:30 local time (02:30 Kyiv time). Against this background, the working day was shortened to 13:00, and residents of Severo-Kurilsk and Petropavlovsk were asked to leave the coastal zones – the water receded two to three meters, a tsunami is possible.

A wall collapsed in kindergarten No. 15 in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky as a result of the earthquake. The facility was undergoing repairs, so, according to Solodov, there were no injuries among the staff or children. An examination of the stability of the entire building is underway.

Stove pipes could be torn in homes, and goods could fall off the shelves in stores.

The Kamchatka branch of the Unified Geophysical Service research center reported that it was the "strongest earthquake" since 1952. Strong aftershocks are felt in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and may be felt for another month with a magnitude of up to 7.5.

The Minister of Health of the Kamchatka Territory, Oleg Melnikov, said that there were victims of the earthquake, but allegedly without serious injuries. Hospitals have "cosmetic damage".

It is also reported that six flights were delayed, and a ceiling tile fell on a woman's head at the airport.

• on June 3, a 14-year-old girl was killed by an earthquake in Turkey , and dozens of people were injured.
• On July 1, the earthquake occurred in Poltava region, about 10 km from Poltava itself. Its magnitude was 3.1.