MOSCOW/ Lhasa/ New York City, 3 Aug

A series of seismic events were recorded across multiple regions on Sunday, with the most powerful—a magnitude 6.7 earthquake—striking Russia’s Kuril Islands, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The quake occurred at a depth of 64 km, triggering a brief tsunami alert for parts of the Kamchatka Peninsula, which was later lifted.

The Russian Ministry for Emergency Services urged residents to remain cautious despite low expected wave heights. The Kuril Islands, located off the Kamchatka Peninsula, remain seismically active, with strong aftershocks anticipated in coming weeks.

Adding to regional concerns, the Krasheninnikov Volcano in Kamchatka erupted overnight for the first time in 600 years, sending ash 6,000m into the atmosphere. Experts believe this and the recent eruption of the Klyuchevskoy volcano are linked to a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Russia’s Far East on 30 July, prompting tsunami warnings across the Pacific. No casualties were reported, according to the Kremlin.

In a related event, a magnitude 6.0 quake struck off the East Coast of Kamchatka on Saturday at a shallow depth of 20 km. Shallower quakes often cause more damage due to stronger ground shaking. At least 125 aftershocks of magnitude 4.4 or greater have followed the 8.8 quake, with three exceeding magnitude 6.0.

Meanwhile, Tibet experienced a 4.5 magnitude quake at a depth of 10 km, following two tremors of magnitude 4.0 and 4.3 on 30 July. Heavy rainfall in the region also triggered flooding in Nepal’s Rasuwa district. Authorities warned of rising river levels after downpours affected the Trishuli River.

In the United States, a magnitude 3.0 earthquake struck near New York City on Sunday, at a shallow depth of 10km. The USGS identified the epicentre near Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. A separate magnitude 5.8 quake was recorded in Mexico the previous day.

US President Donald Trump addressed the public following the 8.8 Pacific quake, issuing tsunami alerts for Hawaii, Alaska, and the Pacific Coast. These were later downgraded or lifted.