Magnitude 7.5 Quake Strikes Off Russia’s Kuril Islands: USGS

Kunashiri island (top), part of an archipelago under Russian control, as seen from a mountain pass in Rausu, Hokkaido prefecture on Oct. 10, 2018. - Four of the islands known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the southern Kuril islands in Russia. Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. authorities put out tsunami warnings on Wednesday after an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 struck off Russia’s Kuril Islands, but meteorological officials in Japan issued no alerts, although they said there might be slight tidal changes.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake was a stronger 7.8 magnitude and may cause a slight change of sea levels around Japanese coasts.