Russia Earthquake & Tsunami Warning – Is Melbourne at Risk?
A large quake near Russia’s Kamchatka raised tsunami alerts—here’s what Melbourne residents should know right now and where to get official updates.
Russia Today The Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia was shaken by a huge earthquake today triggering tsunami warnings along the Pacific. As the news spreads like bushfire, there is a question many Melburnians would pose, and that is – is this an indicator that we are under threat here at home? So, what exactly occurred, what does the science tell us and what the people in Melbourne actually need to know, let us break it down.
What happened in Russia
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 was experienced off the coast of the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula of Russia at the beginning of Friday shaking all the buildings, and causing the authorities to declare a tsunami alert.
Russian social media videos indicated that furniture and lighting fixtures were shaking in houses and another one showed a parked car shaking over a street.
The quake affected the area that was 128 kilometres (eighty miles) east of the capital of the area, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) the US Geological Survey (USGS) indicated.
The state geophysical service in the local branch of Russia estimated it at a lower magnitude of 7.4. It registered no less than 5 aftershocks.
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center gave a warning on potential risky waves on the surrounding shoreline.
The governor of the region, Vladimir Solodov, said on Telegram that this morning once again puts a test of the strength of the people of Kamchatka.
“No, there is no report of damage. I ask everyone to remain calm… The east coast of the peninsula has been put under a tsunami warning. The masses are being sensitized and so on, he added.”
The Kamchatka peninsula has a tectonic belt referred to as Ring of Fire located in most parts of the Pacific Ocean and a hotspot of seismic activities.
Could this affect Melbourne?
This is the good news, though, Melbourne is not under threat.
Australia is a thousand kilometres distant to the quake area. In perspective, Kamchatka is located on the extreme north of the rim of the Pacific Ocean, and Melbourne is located in the lee of the waves of the North Pacific earthquakes, in the calm waters of the Bass Strait.
Imagine it is throwing a rock into a pond. The waves around the rock are large, but when they have gone across the pond to the other side they are almost exhausted.
What the official agencies are telling.
According to a clear national bulletin released by the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC) which is run by the Bureau of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia it read:
“THERE IS NO TSUNAMI THREAT TO THE AUSTRALIAN MAINLAND, ISLANDS OR TERRITORIES.”
There were no warnings concerning this event related to Australia in the U.S. tsunami portal as well.
Add to it, live oceanographic models that operate under the name of NOAA (the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) indicate that the energy of this quake is being dispersed in the northern Pacific – towards Alaska and some parts of Japan- not towards Australia.
Therefore, to the residents of Melbourne: there is no tidal wave of tsunamis approaching us.
The Melbourne residents should be doing the following
- Stay calm. No threat to Melbourne, Victoria, or Australia.
- Stick to official sources. To make sure that you have updated, go to:
Tsunami Warnings Bureau of Meteorology.
Be prepared, not alarmed. Although this occurrence is not a risk, tsunamis in Australia can occur because of the nearby areas such as Indonesia or Solomon Islands. It is always clever to learn where to look at warnings.
Why is this story relevant to us even now in Melbourne?
Although this time round we are safe, an event like this makes us aware that we live in a connected world. Melbourne is an active community that is concerned about safety matters around the world, and the knowledge is what will enable us to know how the natural events happening in other parts of the world will or will not reach our shores.
It’s also a good reminder that
The beaches and Port Phillip Bay of Melbourne are closely observed in case of any uncharacteristic changes in the sea level.
There is 24-hour tsunami surveillance in Australia and therefore in case there was an actual risk, we would have been notified early and easily.
The warning of the Kamchatka earthquake and tsunami that happened today might seem to be a dramatic headline, but the facts are reassuring: there is no tsunami threat to Melbourne or any other part of Australia.
When you are talking to your friends, scrolling through socials, or even asking yourself whether you are safe, you can definitely tell: Melbourne is in the clear.
A major earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami alerts, but Melbourne and all of Australia are safe, officials confirm.
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