Tsunami advisories have been lifted across much of the Pacific Ocean following a major earthquake off the coast of Russia’s Far East.
The 8.8-magnitude earthquake, one of the strongest recorded globally, struck near the Kamchatka Peninsula at 11:25 local time on Wednesday (00:25 BST). The seismic event triggered tsunami warnings, prompting evacuation orders for over two million people in regions including parts of Russia, Japan, and the US state of Hawaii.
Despite the earthquake’s significant magnitude, initial reports indicate no major damage or injuries.
“The disaster we were expecting did not come,” a tourist in Hawaii told the BBC, reflecting the sentiment of many after the threat subsided.
Coastal areas in Hawaii experienced evacuations as waves reached 1.2m on Oahu and larger surges of 1.7m on Maui.
Governor Josh Green issued a stark warning to residents, stating, “It is not a regular wave. It will actually kill you if you get hit by a tsunami.”
However, hours later, he reported, “So far we have not seen a wave of consequence.”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) downgraded the tsunami warning for Hawaii to an advisory, indicating the potential for strong currents and minor flooding, but not a major tsunami.
Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Director Stephen Logan advised evacuees they could return home, urging caution due to potential flooding.
Crescent City, California, recorded waves of up to 1.09m (3.6ft), according to the National Tsunami Warning Centre.
Further south, San Francisco saw tidal surges of up to 0.7m. The weather service in Los Angeles reported a “rapid and damaging surge” at Port San Luis.
British Columbia in Canada issued and later cancelled a tsunami advisory for most coastal areas, advising residents to avoid the ocean.
In Russia, tsunami waves reached up to 5m (16ft) in areas including Severo-Kurilsk, which was evacuated. The tsunami warning for Kamchatka was later lifted, but the Klyuchevskoy Volcano began erupting.
Russia’s Geophysical Survey reported lava flowing down the volcano’s western slope.
The Sakhalin region declared a state of emergency in the northern Kuril islands after the power grid was damaged.
Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov called it the region’s strongest earthquake in decades, followed by at least six aftershocks, including one measuring 6.9.
In Japan, tsunami sirens alerted thousands, with waves over a meter high hitting the Pacific coast. Nearly two million people were told to evacuate, particularly in Iwate prefecture.
Authorities later downgraded the tsunami warning to an advisory for areas spanning from north of Tokyo to Wakayama.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that there was no confirmation of any damage.
At the Fukushima nuclear plant, all 4,000 workers were evacuated, but operators reported no “abnormalities.”
In March 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami caused a nuclear meltdown at the plant.
In French Polynesia, officials initially predicted wave heights of 4m for Nuku Hiva, but later reported heights of only 1.5m.
Tsunami alerts were also issued for Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, with coastal residents advised to evacuate.
China’s alert for Zhejiang Province and Shanghai was lifted with no reported damage. The Philippines and Taiwan also cancelled their alerts.
Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Australia, Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand and Tonga were warned of potential smaller tsunami wave activity.
In Peru, officials issued a tsunami warning and closed many Pacific ports. Some roads were also closed near a beach in Lima.
Wednesday’s earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ring of Fire, a “seismically active” region where about 80% of the world’s earthquakes occur.
Kamchatka, Japan, the Philippines, and the Pacific coast of the Americas lie near plate boundaries within this ring.
The earthquake was the joint sixth-largest ever recorded. A 9.0 earthquake near Kamchatka in 1952 resulted in a 12m-high tsunami.
Are you in any of the affective areas? If it is safe to do so, please get in touch.
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