Kuril Islands Hit by 7.2-Magnitude Quake, No Tsunami Generated

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.2 struck the Kuril Islands shortly after 5 p.m. Hawaii time.

According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the tremor did not generate a Pacific-wide tsunami.

The quake struck about 155 miles from Russia and 923 miles northeast of Tokyo.

The Kuril Islands are a volcanic archipelago stretching about 800 miles from Kamchatka, Russia to Japan, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean.

The USGS describes the region as one of the most geologically active areas in the world.

Three earthquakes ranging from 6.5 to 6.9 in magnitude struck the islands in late February.