New Delhi, Sept. 19 -- A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula early Friday, shaking buildings and prompting authorities to issue a tsunami alert.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred 128 kilometers east of Kamchatka's capital at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. The region was further shaken by a series of aftershocks.

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued an alert for potentially hazardous waves along nearby coastlines but later lifted the warning. No damage has been reported so far.

Kamchatka lies along the tectonic Ring of Fire, a seismically active belt encircling much of the Pacific Ocean.

In July, an 8.8-magnitude mega-quake off...