Quake off Russia’s far east islands prompts tsunami warning but no threat to B.C.: officials

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck near Russia’s far eastern Kuril Islands on Wednesday triggered a tsunami warning for the closest shores but did not pose a threat to British Columbia, according to B.C. emergency officials.

Emergency Info BC had originally tweeted about the quake and said to “standby for B.C. specific info” but a few moments later tweeted that it posed “no threat to B.C.”

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck 219 kilometres south-southeast of Severo on the Kuril chain north of Japan. It was 56 kilometres deep.

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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 1,000 kilometres of the quake’s epicenter.

It said earthquakes of this strength in the past have caused tsunamis far from the epicenter, and the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center was analyzing the event to determine the level of danger.

–With files from Global News’ Phil Heidenreich

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