At 3:35 pm local time, a 7.0‑magnitude quake shook the Kamchatka Peninsula, striking 140 km beneath the surface and setting off seismic waves that were felt as far as 123 km southwest of Vilyuchinsk.
Japan's Meteorological Agency issued a 9.9‑magnitude warning a few minutes later, a figure that dwarfs the real reading of 6.9 reported by seismologists.
The false alarm triggered panic across the country. Social media buzzed and emergency hotlines rang. The Japanese government quickly corrected the mistake.
The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center confirmed there was no tsunami threat. Local authorities in Russia reported no immediate damage or casualties.
The event follows last year's 8.8‑magnitude quake off Kamchatka that generated a tsunami, reminding residents of the region's vulnerability.