A nuclear submarine base in Russia has allegedly suffered damage following one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit the region in years.
Last Wednesday, a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka coast triggered tsunami warnings as far away as French Polynesia and Chile. It also caused six volcanoes across Russia to erupt, with ash clouds being propelled 26,250ft into the sky.
The Krasheninnikov volcano, situated on Russia’s eastern coastline, had been inactive for at least 520 years. However, following a series of earthquakes along the Russian coast, the colossal natural structure has begun to spew lava once more.
The initial earthquake, which rattled both Russia and Japan last Wednesday (July 30), registered 8.8 on the Richter scale, making it the sixth-strongest earthquake ever recorded.
Yet, before the second earthquake – which measured 6.8 magnitude – on Sunday morning (August 3), the Krasheninnikov began to emit lava. This marks the first active eruption of the volcano in modern history, reports the Daily Star.
The Rybachiy nuclear submarine base, a strategic hub for Russia’s Pacific Fleet, was approximately 80 miles from the epicentre of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake, according to The New York Times.
Serving as a facility for the maintenance, deployment, and operations of the country’s nuclear-powered submarines, the base is one of the key sites for Russia’s Pacific Fleet on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The base boasts several floating piers, one of which seems to have sustained significant damage, as per satellite images captured on Sunday by commercial satellite firm Planet Labs. Some of Rybachiy’s floating piers are quite recent additions: the military has commissioned and installed at least two new piers at the base since Russia initiated its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The images reveal no other substantial damage, and a number of vessels, including five submarines, were spotted docked at nearby piers. There has been no official disclosure regarding any damage at the base, and Russian media remains silent on the matter.
Furthermore, international organisations monitoring nuclear sites have not reported any increase in radiation levels in the vicinity.