Powerful quake hits off Russia’s far east

A 6.9-magnitude earthquake has struck off the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia, but there have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties and no tsunami warning has been issued.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake struck off the Kurile Islands at 12:05 a.m. local time on Friday (1405 GMT Thursday) at a depth of 53 kilometers (33 miles), AFP reported.

The temblor was the second to hit the Kuril Islands this year. A magnitude 5.5 earthquake hit the islands on January 1.

The arc formed by the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kurile Islands between Russia and Japan is one of the most seismically active areas in the world.