Kuril Island [Russia], July 31 (HBTV): An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 struck east of the Kuril Islands on Thursday, according to a statement issued by the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The tremor occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km, making the region susceptible to aftershocks.

In a post on X, the NCS stated: 'EQ of M: 6.5, On: 31/07/2025 10:57:14 IST, Lat: 49.51 N, Long: 158.75 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: East of Kuril Islands.'

A day earlier, on Wednesday, another earthquake of magnitude 6.3 had struck the Kuril Islands at the same depth of 10 km. The NCS shared details in a separate post: 'EQ of M: 6.3, On: 30/07/2025 08:00:37 IST, Lat: 50.64 N, Long: 157.49 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Kuril Islands.'

The seismic activity followed a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday, which ranks among the sixth strongest ever recorded. While no casualties were reported in Russia, according to the Kremlin, the region has experienced over 125 aftershocks with magnitudes of 4.4 or greater in the 16 hours since the main quake, based on data from the US Geological Survey, CNN reported.

Among those aftershocks, at least three have exceeded magnitude 6.0, with the strongest being a 6.9 that struck approximately 45 minutes after the primary quake. Another strong aftershock measuring 6.4 occurred around 200 miles southwest of the original epicentre just before 11:00 AM local time on Wednesday.

Seismologists warn that aftershocks tend to be most intense and frequent in the hours and days following a major quake, before gradually subsiding. Shallow earthquakes, such as the recent events in the Kuril Islands, are typically more dangerous due to their proximity to the Earth’s surface, often resulting in stronger ground shaking and increased risk of structural damage and casualties.

Meanwhile, a tsunami advisory issued for Hawaii following the massive offshore quake has been lifted. Earlier tsunami warnings for the US coastline and Japan were also downgraded to advisories, according to CNN.

(ANI)