Satellite images have revealed damage to a floating pier at Russia's Rybachiy nuclear submarine base following a powerful earthquake last week, according to a report by the New York Times. The magnitude-8.8 quake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
Images from Planet Labs show that a section of the pier at the base, a key facility for Russia's Pacific fleet, broke away from its anchor point. No other major destruction was visible in the satellite imagery. Reuters could not independently verify the report, and Russia's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
The earthquake, one of the most powerful on record, caused relatively minor damage due to effective disaster response. The worst impact was in Russia, where a tsunami swept through the port of Severo-Kurilsk, submerging a local fishing plant and washing debris up to a Second World War monument 400 metres from the shore. The initial quake resulted in only light injuries and limited damage.
The Rybachiy base is a strategic hub for the maintenance and operation of Russia's nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific region. The earthquake was followed by an eruption of the most active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
