Kamchatka people told to keep calm as region hit by series of earthquakes

By The Siberian Times reporter

21 May 2013

A series of tremors in recent days measuring 4.7 to 6.4 points on the Richter scale have been registered east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Kamchatka is one of the most seismically active regions in the world, with houses in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky designed to withstand earthquakes up to point 9 on the Richter scale

The earthquakes began on May 19 have left people concerned but officials said there was 'no threat of a catastrophic quake'. On Tuesday an earthquake measuring 6 on the Richte scale was recorded 136 kilometres east-southeast of the of the regional capital.

Minister Sergei Khabarov said there had been 'a host of 6.0-magnitude quakes' in the southeastern sector of Avacha Bay. This caused 4 point magnitude tremors in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital. No casualties or destruction was reported, and no tsunami warning was issued.

The region is one of the most seismically active in the world.

'I want to particularly emphasise that a destructive quake is not forecast in Kamchatka in the near future', Sergey Khabarov said. 'These small quakes, which are often not even felt, reduce pressure on the Earth crust'.

The Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences is closely monitoring the tremors.

'At the present time operational checks of warning systems to alert the population about emergency situations are being carried out. Emergency services are in a mode of permanent readiness to respond to an emergency situation', said the regional government.

Experts predict more quakes possibly until May 27.

Houses in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are designed to withstand earthquakes up to point 9 on the Richter scale.