Russia’s Kuril Islands rattles after 6.7 quake days after Kamchatka’s 8.8 megaquake

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Russia's Kuril Islands on Sunday, August 3. According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers.

As per Reuters report, the agency initially had pegged the earthquake at 6.35 magnitude, with a 10-km (6.2-mile) depth.

The USGS reported it as a magnitude 6.8 earthquake, which was 118 kilometers east of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia, at a depth of 35 kilometers on August 3, 2025, at 05:37 UTC. No Tsunami warning issued.


This was followed by a series of powerful earthquakes that struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in late July 2025. The most significant was a magnitude 8.8 M quake on July 30, centered offshore about 119 km from Petropavlovsk‑Kamchatsky at a shallow depth of around 19–20 km, making it one of the largest earthquakes in recorded history.

It triggered tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific, produced waves up to four meters in parts of Russia, and prompted evacuations in Japan, Hawaii, and along the U.S. West Coast.

The quake was preceded by a powerful magnitude 7.4 tremor on July 20, followed by a string of aftershocks reaching up to magnitude 6.7 within hours. These seismic events led to heightened regional alerts before the major M8.8 event.

Earlier a 3.0-magnitude earthquake struck northern New Jersey late Saturday night, July 2, sending mild tremors through parts of New York City just hours after the region experienced its strongest earthquake in over a century.

About GFZ

The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), headquartered in Potsdam, is Germany’s national research center for geosciences. It operates under the Helmholtz Association and focuses on studying the dynamics of the Earth system, from earthquakes and volcanic activity to climate and tectonic processes.

GFZ is recognized globally for its contribution to earthquake monitoring, providing real-time seismic data and analysis through its seismological services.

About USGS

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the US government under the Department of the Interior. It conducts research and monitoring across a range of Earth science topics, including earthquakes, volcanoes, water resources, and land use.

USGS is one of the world’s most trusted sources for seismic data and hazard assessments, offering public tools like the Earthquake Map and ShakeAlert to inform emergency responses and long-term planning.