Hyderabad: A powerful earthquake struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula region on Friday, October 16, prompting Japan’s Meteorological Agency to issue and later withdraw an erroneous warning estimating a magnitude of 9.9.
The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) initially reported the earthquake at magnitude 7.0. It occurred at a depth of around 140 kilometres, with the epicentre approximately 123 kilometres southwest of Vilyuchinsk in Russia’s Far East. Later estimates put the magnitude at 6.9.
The US National Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami threat following the earthquake. Initial reports did not confirm any casualties or significant damage.
Japan Withdraws Erroneous Earthquake Warning
Japan’s Meteorological Agency mistakenly issued an early warning estimating a magnitude 9.9 earthquake after the tremor near Kamchatka. The alert forecast strong shaking across parts of northern, eastern and central Japan.
The agency withdrew the warning within minutes after further analysis showed that the initial magnitude estimate was incorrect. The actual earthquake measured around magnitude 6.9, according to revised seismic data.
A magnitude 9.9 earthquake would exceed the strongest earthquake recorded instrumentally. The 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile, which measured magnitude 9.5, remains the largest on record.
Kamchatka lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a tectonically active zone known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
In July 2025, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake near the Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami warnings across parts of the Pacific region. The latest tremor has again drawn attention to the seismic risks associated with the region.
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