Question:Recently an earthquake struck in the northern Pacific and a tsunami warning was issued for the closest shores on Russia’s far eastern Kuril islands. The magnitude of earthquake was?
(a) 7.4
(b) 7.1
(c) 7.5
(d) 7.0
Answer: (c)
Related facts:
- Recently, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck in the northern Pacific and a tsunami warning was issued for the closest shores on Russia’s far eastern Kuril Islands.
- The earthquakes of this strength in the region have caused tsunamis in the past far from the epicenter of the earthquake.
- The earthquake, 218 km south-southeast of the town of Severo, struck at a depth of 56.7 km (35 miles) as per the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said that hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 1,000 km of the earthquake’s epicentre.
- However, later it said, “only very small tsunami waves were generated by this earthquake and there is no further threat”.
- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has warned hazardous Tsunami waves on the coasts of the Kuril Islands. However, the waves are to be less than 30 centimetres in high.
- The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said a tsunami watch was issued for the state of Hawaii.
- There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
- Kuril Islands are stretched from the Japanese island of Hokkaido to the southern tip of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula separating Okhotsk Sea from the North Pacific Ocean.
- It consists of 56 islands and minor rocks.
- The chain is part of the belt of geologic instability circling the Pacific and contains at least 100 volcanoes, of which 35 are still active, and many hot springs.
- Earthquakes and tidal waves are common phenomena over these islands.
- The Kuril Islands are a volcanic Archipelago that separates Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. The islands are currently under Russian Administration. However, claims of Japan over 4 southern most islands of the Archipelago have led to the ongoing Kuril Islands Dispute.
- The Islands are located at the tectonically instable region called the “Ring of Fire”.
- The Ring of Fire is the areas of Pacific Ocean where several volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. There are more than 452 volcanos in the region. This accounts to 75% of world’s volcanos. Also, 91% of world earthquakes occur in the region.
Links:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/international/tsunami-warnings-after-magnitude-78-quake-strikes-near-russias-kuril-islands/article31159658.ece/amp/
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/25/russia-kuril-islands-earthquake-tsunami-warning-issued-after-75-magnitude-event