A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near the east coast of Russia's Kamchatka peninsula on Saturday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported. The US Tsunami Warning System initially issued a threat but later called it off.
The quake's epicentre was 111.7km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of about 39km. The USGS described it as an aftershock of the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that hit the region on 29 July, which was the sixth strongest ever recorded.
The earthquake was caused by reverse faulting along the subduction zone plate interface of the Kuril-Kamchatka arc. The Pacific Plate moves west-northwest relative to the North American Plate at about 80mm per year, the USGS said.
No immediate reports of injuries or major damage have been received, and the population in the region is limited, according to the USGS. Japan's Meteorological Agency did not issue a tsunami warning for Japan, broadcaster NHK reported.
