VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (AFX) - A massive 7.9-magnitude earthquake rocked Russia's northeastern Kamchatka peninsula on the Bering Sea, the local emergency situations ministry officials said.



The quake partly destroyed a local school and a kindergarten, damaged houses and an airport, and in some places disrupted heating and electricity supplies in the village of Tilichiki and three other villages.

According to the officials, the tremor, which struck Friday at 12:25 pm was registered 70 km east of Tilichiki, with the epicenter some 40 km beneath the surface.

'So far no casualties were reported, but dozens of people got minor injuries,' officials said, adding that rescuers were on their way to restore heat and electricity in the damaged villages.