MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded a magnitude 4.4 earthquake in the Russian section of the Caucasus Region, placing its epicenter 21 km offshore from southwest of the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.

Authorities later reported a second earthquake with a magnitude of 4.7.

TASS has compiled the currently available information.

About the earthquake

- The epicenter of the tremors was located 21 km offshore from the city of Sochi, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported.

- The hypocenter was located at a depth of 35 km, with a magnitude of 4.4.

- The earthquake occurred at 3:09 p.m. Moscow time (12:09 p.m. GMT) today, with its epicenter in the sea area 23 km offshore from Sochi, the city’s authorities reported.

- A second earthquake occurred near Sochi.

- According to preliminary data, its epicenter was located close to the first one, and its magnitude reached 4.7, a senior researcher at the International Scientific Center for Ecology and Climate Change Issues at Sirius University told TASS.

Aftermath

- No casualties or destruction have been reported following the earthquake in Sochi, and the resort’s infrastructure is operating normally, Mayor Andrey Proshunin said.

Previous incidents in the region

- On February 21, the Krasnodar Region operational task force reported an earthquake in Sochi's Khostinsky city district.

- Tremors were recorded on February 10 approximately 30 km from the city of Novorossiysk, with no damage resulting, Mayor Andrey Kravchenko reported on his Telegram channel.

- The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre measured the earthquake at magnitude 4.8, locating its epicenter 35 km northwest of Novorossiysk and 13 km from the Anapskaya rural community, with the hypocenter at a depth of approximately 10 km.

- Later on February 10, a seismic station recorded a magnitude 3.4 earthquake in the Krymsky District of the Krasnodar Region, the regional operational task force told journalists.

- An earthquake occurred in the Black Sea 5 km from the Sochi coast on January 4.

- Its intensity measured 3-4 in different parts of the city, with no destruction following, Mayor Andrey Proshunin said.