A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29, marking one of the most powerful seismic events recorded globally since 2011.
The quake triggered widespread aftershocks, including a 6.0 magnitude tremor in the Pacific Ocean, and generated tsunami waves up to 19 feet high, prompting warnings from Japan to Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast.
The earthquake also caused significant geological shifts, with the southern part of the peninsula moving southeastward -- a displacement comparable, though more modest, to that seen in Japan's 2011 quake.
Local officials reported no fatalities, only a few injuries, and limited damage to infrastructure, primarily due to the region's earthquake-resistant buildings and low population density.
The Kamchatka earthquake had profound volcanic repercussions, activating seven volcanoes simultaneously for the first time in nearly 300 years, according to the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Notably, Krasheninnikov Volcano experienced lava flows for the first time in almost 600 years, with the last recorded activity dating back to 1463. Experts, including Alexey Ozerov from the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, attribute these eruptions to the quake, providing additional energy to magmatic foci.
Also, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit offshore the Alaska Peninsula on July 16, occurring two years after a similar 7.2 magnitude quake in the same area. This region has seen ongoing seismic activity, with multiple magnitude 7 or greater earthquakes in recent years, highlighting its persistent tectonic instability.
On July 9, 2025, Guatemala experienced a series of more than 37 earthquakes and aftershocks, resulting in at least two fatalities. The quakes also triggered landslides, leading to evacuations and material damage across affected areas. Civil protection authorities noted several injuries but no widespread structural collapse.
We can anticipate additional similar events over the next few months, driven by patterns of heightened solar activity.
Records floods continued to fill the headlines this month:Himachal Pradesh, India: Flash floods and landslides killed 51 and left 22 missing. Kerr County, Texas, USA: Flash floods along the Guadalupe River, rising 26 feet in 45 minutes after 10 inches of rain, claimed 51 lives and left 27 missing. South Korea: Heavy rainfall (15.7 inches in 24 hours) killed 17 and displaced over 13,000. Eastern China: Flash floods after 14 inches of rain in five hours left two dead and ten missing. Zhaotong, China: 10 inches of rain in 12 hours led to five missing and over 7,000 evacuated. Negros Occidental, Philippines: A second major flood displaced thousands. Yola, Nigeria: Floods killed at least eight, with many unaccounted for. North and South Carolina: Tropical Storm Chantal brought a foot of rain in 24 hours, triggering floods, causing multiple deaths.Severe storms also swept through Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, Poland, Ukraine, and Romania.
And the snow keeps falling... in July: We have been highlighting the huge hail events as there seems to be a stark increase this year: All this and more in our SOTT Earth Changes Summary for July 2025:
To understand what's going on, check out our book explaining how all these events are part of a natural climate shift, and why it is taking place now: Earth Changes and the Human-Cosmic Connection
Check out previous installments in this series - translated into multiple languages - here.