Big quake hits eastern Russia

MOSCOW – A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit a distant, sparsely populated region of Russia’s Far East today, and there were reports in at least one coastal village of minor injuries and damaged buildings – including schools and a hospital.

The quake hit at around 12:30 p.m. local time in the Koryak region, nearly 4,350 miles east of Moscow and some 625 miles north of the largest city in the area Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, said Oleg Kotosanov, a duty officer with the regional emergency situations ministry.

The U.S. Geological Survey and Japan’s Meteorological Agency estimated the quake’s magnitude at 7.7. There were numerous aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4.5 to 5.4.

Kotosanov said there were reports of damage in some villages in the Pacific region, and that emergency officials were flying to several locations.

Russian news agencies said buildings had been damaged in the coastal village of Tilichiki, including schools, a hospital and an airport. The agencies said there were also some minor injuries in the village.