- The Washington Times - Friday, May 24, 2013

Russia’s Far East region was rocked on Friday by a powerful earthquake that geologists put between 8.0 and 8.2 on the Richter scale.

The quake was even felt in Moscow — 4,400 miles from its epicenter, in the Sea of Okhotsk, The Associated Press reported. Emergency officials initially issued a tsunami warning for the Kuril islands and for Sakhalin, but lifted it a short time later, AP said.

The earthquake started 375 miles beneath the sea, AP reported.

No injuries were reported, but the tremors in Moscow — where quakes are uncommon, and the last recorded one was in 1977 — sent residents running from buildings. AP reported that schools in several areas hit by the quake were evacuated, too.

• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.

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