Tsunami Warning Issued After 7.6 Earthquake Strikes Near Kuril Islands

03:16 GMT, 25 March 2020

After the first reports of magnitude 7.8 it was lowered to 7.5. No damage or injures are reported.

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred some 500 kilometers (300 miles) from the Russian Far Eastern city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the Kamchatka office of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences said.

"Earthquake 14:49 (02:49 a.m. GMT), max magnitude 7.6, total of 463 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The data will be specified," it said.

The first tsunami wave struck near the city of Severo-Kurilsk; it wasn't particularly large and so far its height remains unknown, a representative of the Sakhalin Tsunami Centre said.

Locals from Paramushir island are to be evacuated after the tsunami warnings in the region. People are asked to remain calm and follow the official instructions. The wave is expected to arrive at 7:04 Moscow time.

There were no reports of damage or casualties, according to local emergency services.