Russia: Magnitude-6.5 offshore earthquake occurs off southern Kuril Islands Dec. 28

A magnitude-6.5 offshore earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean near the southern Kuril Islands at around 19:15 Dec. 28. The epicenter was about 114 km (71 miles) southeast of Kuril’sk. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 23 km (14 miles), and moderate shaking was probably felt throughout parts of the southern Kuril Islands and far northeastern part of Sapporo, Japan. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties, though some damage is possible in areas close to the epicenter of the temblor. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible where shaking has occurred.