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Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Shakes Kamchatka Peninsula

Krasheninnikov volcano in Kamchatka. Natalya Akbirova / TASS

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula early Friday, rattling homes and briefly prompting a tsunami warning that was later lifted.

The quake hit around 128 kilometers (80 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (six miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Videos posted on Russian social media showed furniture and light fixtures shaking in homes, while others showed parked cars rocking back and forth on a street.

The local branch of Russia's state geophysical service gave a lower estimated magnitude of 7.4. It reported at least five aftershocks.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned of possible hazardous waves along nearby coastlines but said several hours later the threat had passed.

"This morning is once again testing the resilience of Kamchatka residents," regional Governor Vladimir Solodov said on Telegram. "There are currently no reports of damage. I ask everyone to remain calm."

Kamchatka, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, is among the world’s most seismically active regions.

In July, an 8.8-magnitude quake off its coast unleashed a tsunami that swept part of a nearby coastal village into the sea and prompted warnings across the Pacific.

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