Russia says no danger to Far East residents over North Korea's nuclear test

'The Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences did not register any seismic events and underground tremors at 16:00 local time on 12 February 2013, in the Russian Far Eastern region,' said the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. 

'The radiation level is normal in the Far East. The radiation measurements are made in the usual mode in the region'.

Reports say it was the most powerful underground test to date by the reclusive Communist state. 

Seismic monitors detected an unusual tremor  in the area of the country's Punggye-ri nuclear test site, close to the Chinese border. The Russian Defence Ministry said the power of North Korea's nuclear test blast surpassed 7 kilotons.

'We condemn these actions by North Korea and see them, along with the recent ballistic rocket satellite launch, as a violation of corresponding UN Security Council resolutions,' a Russian foreign ministry source told Interfax. 

The condemnation was echoed by other countries including the US, China and Japan. 

The nuclear test was the North's first since youthful leader Kim Jong-Un took over from his father, Kim Jong-Il.