A Russian nuclear submarine base in the remote Far East was damaged last week by one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the area in decades, according to a New York Times report citing satellite images.
Photos from commercial imaging company Planet Labs show damage to a floating pier at the Rybachiy submarine base on the Kamchatka Peninsula. One section of the pier appears to have broken free from its anchor point. The images reveal no other major destruction beyond the damaged pier.
Reuters could not independently confirm the report, and Russia’s defense ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka coast last Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings as far as French Polynesia and Chile. It was followed by an eruption of the peninsula’s most active volcano.
Despite being one of the most powerful quakes ever recorded, damage was relatively limited due to effective disaster response efforts. The worst impact was in Russia, where a tsunami flooded the port of Severo-Kurilsk, submerging a local fishing plant. State TV footage showed buildings and debris being swept into the sea.
The water surge reached a World War II monument about 400 meters inland. The quake caused only minor damage and light injuries, even though it was the strongest since the 2011 Japan earthquake that killed 15,000 people.
The Rybachiy base is a key strategic site for Russia’s Pacific fleet, serving as a hub for maintaining, deploying, and operating nuclear-powered submarines in the region.
