State of emergency declared in Russia's Sakhalin after quake, tsunami

A state of emergency has been declared in the Severo-Kurilsky District of Russia's Sakhalin region following a powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the regional government announced, Report informs.

Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko convened an emergency commission meeting in response to the disaster.

The earthquake, which struck near Kamchatka, reached a magnitude of 8.7—making it the strongest in the region since 1952. Four tsunami waves were recorded in the Severo-Kurilsky District after the quake.

Earlier the same day, a tsunami threat was declared along the coast of Avacha Bay in Kamchatka. In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a wall of a kindergarten collapsed due to the tremor. Evacuations are underway, and authorities have taken all necessary safety measures.