VLADIVOSTOK - Authorities in Russia's far eastern Sakhalin Region on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in the Severo-Kurilsk District following a powerful earthquake and threat of further tsunamis.

Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko convened an emergency meeting in response to the disaster. "By order of the governor, a state of emergency has been introduced in the Severo-Kurilsk District, where an earthquake and tsunami occurred earlier today," the regional government's press service said.

Meanwhile, approximately 2,700 people, including nearly 600 children, were evacuated to safe areas across the Kuril Islands, TASS quoted local emergency services as saying.

Earlier, Limarenko announced on social media that a 7.9 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday struck near Severo-Kurilsk, a town in Sakhalin.