MOSCOW, Russia: There are no casualties or damage after a powerful earthquake and three tsunami waves hit Russia’s Sakhalin Region, Sputnik/RIA Novosti reported, quoting Governor Valery Limarenko on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Kamchatka, becoming the strongest in the region since 1952.
The Sakhalin Region Government said that a state of emergency had been declared in the Severo-Kurilsky District following the earthquake and tsunami.
“There are no victims or destruction. That is the main thing,” Limarenko told the ‘Rossiya 24’ broadcaster.
The authorities believe that electrical networks were damaged, but do not know the scale, the official said, adding that electricity was cut off.
“The third wave was the strongest, and it flooded both the port and the fish processing plant. But by that time, all the people had already risen to the surface.
“Our Northern Kurilians are very experienced, this is not the first time this has happened to them; 2,400 people carefully rose to the heights, and they are still there, because we are waiting for a signal that there will be no more tsunamis,” he said. -BERNAMA-SPUTNIK
