South Korea unlikely to be affected by powerful quake off Russia's Far East: Weather agency

Seoul, July 30 (IANS) South Korea is unlikely to be affected by a powerful earthquake that struck off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, a weather agency official said.

The 8.7 magnitude earthquake, which hit the area at 8:24 a.m., has prompted tsunami warnings in Japan and other regions, according to media reports.

"The Kamchatka Peninsula earthquake is not expected to have an impact on the country," the official said, noting the agency plans to continue monitoring the quake considering its large magnitude.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is considerably distant from the Korean Peninsula, with Japan located between the two peninsulas, Yonhap news agency reported.

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre forecast tsunami waves less than 0.3 metre in height to hit South Korea.

Following the powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, multiple countries across the Pacific region have issued urgent tsunami warnings, urging residents to take immediate precautions.

The earthquake, which originated 125 km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 19.3 km, triggered fears of potentially destructive tsunami waves across a wide area of the Pacific Ocean.

In response, governments and agencies in Japan, the United States (Hawaii), and the Philippines have activated emergency protocols.

In Japan, the Prime Minister’s Office posted a directive on its official X account at 09:43 JST, instructing authorities to act swiftly.

"Provide timely and accurate information to the public regarding the tsunami, evacuation, etc., and take thorough measures to prevent damage, such as the evacuation of residents. Assess the state of affairs regarding damage as soon as possible. Act in close coordination with local governments and, under the principle of prioritising human life above all else, spare no effort in our emergency disaster responses, including saving lives and rescuing disaster victims, with the Government working as one," it added.

A tsunami warning has been issued for the eastern Pacific coast of Hokkaido and other widespread coastal areas. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) advised residents to check the estimated arrival times and expected wave heights via their official website.

--IANS

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