7.5-magnitude earthquake hit off Russia’s Kuril Islands

While most countries are caught in a whirlpool of Corona pandemic, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday hit off Russia’s Kuril Islands.

The US Geological Survey had alerted that the earthquake could prompt a tsunami.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had also alerted that hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 1,000km of the quake’s epicentre.

Later, the tsunami alert was cancelled.

The quake hit at a depth of 59 km, around 1,400km north-east of the Japanese city of Sapporo, the United States Geological Survey reported.

There were no early reports of casualties.

The four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain – Habomai, Shikotan, Etorofu and Kunashiri – have been disputed between Moscow and Tokyo since the end of the World War II.