6.4-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Siberia's Altai Republic

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Russia's Altai Republic on Saturday morning, with tremors felt in surrounding regions. The quake occurred at 8:48 a.m. local time, prompting the regional head, Andrei Turchak, to declare a 'high-alert regime' and cancel public events due to potential water supply issues near the epicenter. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported, and preliminary assessments indicated only minor damage in some areas, contrary to claims of significant destruction on social media. The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed that power lines were damaged within a 50-kilometer radius, affecting several villages. Residents have been urged to rely on official information and remain calm in the aftermath of the earthquake. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center later reported the quake's magnitude as 5.7, slightly lower than the initial assessment.