- Tsunami waves reached Severo-Kurilsk after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Kamchatka Peninsula
- The port town of Severo-Kurilsk, population about 2,000, was evacuated due to flooding
- Several people were injured in Russia by the quake, but none seriously
The geophysical survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences released aerial footage showing tsunami waves reaching the country's Severo-Kurilsk after a powerful earthquake struck off sparsely populated Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday. The 8.8 magnitude quake was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded, causing tsunamis of up to four metres (12 feet) across the Pacific, sparking evacuations as far as the US, Japan, China and New Zealand.
A video posted on Russian social media appeared to show buildings in the tsunami-hit port town submerged in seawater. Authorities said the population of around 2,000 people was evacuated.
"The tsunami flooded parts of the port town of Severo-Kurilsk ... The population has been evacuated," the ministry said in a statement. Several people were injured in Russia by the quake, state media reported, but none of them were serious.
The governor of Russia's far eastern Kamchatka region asked residents not to approach the coastline after the earthquake.
"A tsunami warning has been issued, and the strength of the wave is being determined. I urge everyone to stay away from the coastline in tsunami-prone areas and to follow announcements on loudspeakers," Governor Vladimir Solodov said on Telegram.
Locals told state media that the walls of their buildings were shaking, causing panic in the region.
"It's good that we packed a suitcase, there was one with water and clothes near the door. We quickly grabbed it and ran out... It was very scary," an Elizovsky resident told state media Zvezda.
Most Powerful Earthquake In Region Since 1952
Wednesday's quake was the strongest since 1952 in the Kamchatka region, the regional seismic monitoring service said. It warned that aftershocks of up to 7.5 magnitude were expected in the region.
At least six aftershocks have further rattled the region, including one of 6.9 magnitude and another listed at 6.3.
The epicentre of the earthquake is roughly the same as the massive 9.0 temblor that year, which resulted in a destructive, Pacific-wide tsunami, according to the USGS.
