187 km SE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake — a major event — struck near 187 km SE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia on December 20, 2018, at a shallow depth of about 17 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. A tsunami threat was flagged for this event — large, shallow quakes beneath or near the ocean can lift the seafloor and generate destructive waves. 6 people submitted "Did You Feel It?" shaking reports to the USGS. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.