Keywords
aftershock
foreshock
seismic source
seismic effects
seismic cycle
Section
Abstract
This paper presents data on the strongest earthquake to occur in Kamchatka in the last 73 years. In accordance with global practice, we have named this event the «2025 Kamchatka Earthquake.» However, to emphasize its exceptional scale, this study will refer to it as the Kamchatka Megathrust Earthquake. The paper discusses general characteristics of the earthquake source: its tectonic setting, mechanism, the evolution of its aftershock sequence, and its place in the seismic history of Southern Kamchatka. The source dimensions, estimated from the aftershock cloud, were 400 km by 150 km. A brief description of the macroseismic effects and the tsunami wave is provided. Data on the performance of the Tsunami Warning System are also presented. The main peculiarities of this earthquake are highlighted: its coincidence with the 1952 earthquake source, the occurrence of a series of preceding strong earthquakes in the Avacha Bay area from 2023 to 2025, and the peripheral location of the strongest aftershocks. It is also noted that the occurrence of a repeat megathrust earthquake (M = 8.8–9.0) within the same source zone challenges established concepts of the seismic cycle.
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