Did Russia’s Kamchatka earthquake cause damage to nuclear submarine base?

The earthquake in Russia, one of the most powerful ever recorded in modern history, sent alarm bells ringing across the world.

However, there are concerns that t he earthquake may have damaged a nuclear submarine base, and possibly the vessels inside.

That’s what some are worried about in the aftermath of the 8.8 magnitude quake that struck the Kamchatka region in Russia’s far east.

But what happened? What do we know?

Let’s take a closer look.

What happened?

The tsunami waves triggered by the massive quake seem to have damaged Russia’s Rybachiy base, according to satellite images of the region.

The base in Avacha Bay, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula, is home to almost the entire fleet of nuclear submarines that Russia has stationed in the Pacific.

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Russia’s Navy’s new Borei-class and Soviet-era Delta-class nuclear submarines are housed here. Russia’s Yasen-M and Oscar-class guided missile submarines are also said to be stationed there. The K-329 Belgorod, the world’s longest submarine, is also believed to be docked or operating in the area. This is just over a hundred kilometers from the location where the quake struck.

Remember, the Russian quake is among the ten strongest tremors in recorded history. It sent tsunami waves all the way across the Pacific — to Hawaii, Alaska, and the west coast of America—traveling at the speed of a jet airplane.

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Images show that a section of one pier has twisted out of its original position. This was revealed by images captured by the Umbra Space satellite, which uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to peer through the clouds.

Thankfully, the images do not show a submarine at the pier at the time of the impact. Photos taken earlier in July show at least one submarine docked along the pier.  The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky naval base, as well as separate missile-loading and shipyard facilities, are also nearby.

The Severo-Kurilsk Port, which is twice as far from the epicenter of the quake as Avacha Bay, has been heavily damaged. Images on social media also showed damage to other buildings in Kamchatka. The earthquake is said to have struck at a depth of around 20 kilometers, approximately 120 kilometers off the coast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The regional capital is home to around 180,000 people.

Despite its intensity, there have been no reports of deaths.

What is Russia saying?

Authorities have called the latest quake a “remarkable event.” However, they have downplayed reports about any damage.

The Russian Defence Ministry has said that the “situation remains under control” and that “no damage” has been reported at any of its military installations. This includes naval bases.

A retired Russian Navy officer has said there was zero information about “critical damage to the Russian Navy’s naval bases in Kamchatka.” He added that these bases were designed to withstand a nuclear attack.

Experts say there is no real evidence that the nuclear submarines themselves have been damaged. It also remains unclear whether any submarines were docked at the pier at the time the earthquake struck. They say the bay’s natural geography may have protected the submarines and limited potential damage.

But this hasn’t stopped experts from expressing concern.

They say submarines undergoing major maintenance would have been left extremely vulnerable. Even a minor wave could cause a submarine to hit its mooring, they explain. Tom Sharpe, a retired Royal Navy commander, told The Telegraph that the pier was left at a “terrible angle.”

“If the base assumption is that a wave got in there and bent that jetty, then yes—what else did it do?” Sharpe wondered. He was among the experts questioning the wisdom of concentrating all such nuclear assets at a single base. “This is why having multiple bases is a good idea—because you never know when you’re going to get rogered by something you haven’t seen coming,” Sharpe added.

With inputs from agencies