Russia lifts tsunami warning after 7.5-magnitude quake off Kuril Islands

Russian authorities lifted a tsunami warning in the Pacific Far East on Wednesday after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Kuril Islands, RIA Novosti reported, citing a representative of the Sakhalin Tsunami Center.

Residents in the town of Severo-Kurilsk in Russia’s Sakhalin region had earlier been evacuated to a safe zone on higher ground, emergency services said, adding that a wave of about 50cm (20 inches) had reached the shores.

Emergency services reported small waves and no casualties or damage after the earthquake.

Meteorological authorities in Japan issued no tsunami alerts, while US authorities canceled a warning for Hawaii, Reuters said.