A magnitude-7.8 earthquake has struck Russia’s eastern Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky region, sparking tsunami warnings and alerts for parts of the United States, according to geological and weather authorities.

The quake hit 128 kilometres east of the Kamchatka Peninsula, located north-east of Japan, at a depth of 10 kilometres, an alert from the US Geological Survey said on Friday.

Videos posted on Russian social media showed furniture and light fixtures shaking in homes, and also a parked car rocking back and forth on a street.

A Telegram account for the Kamchatka region reported that panicked residents ran outside of their homes during the quake. 

Several tsunami warnings were also issued after the quake by the US National Weather Service (NOAA), which estimated that tsunami waves could be possible for coastlines located within 1,000km of the quake epicentre.

The agency also said waves of up to three metres above a standard tide level were possible along some Russian coastlines.

The NOAA alerts reported potential tsunami threats for the Aleutian Islands and the Amchitka Pass — located across the northern Pacific Ocean in Alaska.

Why the tsunami from Russia’s earthquake caused less damage than feared

It was one of the strongest tremors in recorded history, but July’s megathrust earthquake brought less tsunami damage than feared.

After an hour of initial assessments in Honolulu, authorities in Hawaii determined there was no threat of “destructive Pacific-wide tsunami” waves. The NOAA reported no threat of hazardous waves in American Samoa, Guam, Rota or Saipan.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency also reported “slight sea level changes” in a tsunami forecast region that stretched from eastern Hokkaido, in the country’s north, south to the Ogasawara Islands located east of Taiwan.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also issued alerts for five other aftershock tremors that struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula, ranging in magnitude from 5.1 to 5.8 within 40 minutes of the initial quake.

The local branch of Russia’s state geophysical service gave a lower estimated magnitude of 7.4. It also reported at least five aftershocks.

Vladimir Solodov, the governor of the Kamchatka region, confirmed a tsunami warning had been issued for the area and said residents were being warned of the danger, but there had been no reports of damage.

“This morning is once again testing the resilience of Kamchatka residents,” Mr Solodov said.

“I ask everyone to remain calm … A tsunami warning has been issued for the east coast of the peninsula. The public is being alerted.”

The Kamchatka peninsula lies on a tectonic belt known as the Ring of Fire, which surrounds most of the Pacific Ocean, and is a hotspot for seismic activity.

The alerts come after the Russian peninsula was struck by a magnitude-8.8 earthquake in July that also sparked tsunami warnings and evacuations as far away as Japan and Hawaii.

Reuters/AFP