Tsunami alert issued after big earthquake hits Russia

A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit near Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering a tsunami as high as 4 metres (13 feet), causing damage to buildings and leading to tsunami warnings and evacuations across the Pacific Ocean.

A powerful earthquake hit Russia’s Kamchatka region on Wednesday, prompting tsunami warnings across several countries, including Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The US Geological Survey said the 8.7 magnitude quake struck 119 km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 19.3 km. A strong aftershock of magnitude 6.9 followed soon after. Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov confirmed it was the region’s strongest quake in decades. A tsunami wave of up to 4 meters was recorded in parts of Kamchatka. Authorities urged people to evacuate coastal areas quickly. Several people were injured while trying to escape, but no serious cases have been reported.

Japan’s weather agency issued a tsunami warning for its eastern coast, asking residents to move to higher ground. Evacuation orders were given in northern areas like Hokkaido, and workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant were safely evacuated. So far, no damage or abnormalities have been reported at the plant. Warnings extended across the Pacific. The US Tsunami Warning System said waves up to 3 meters could hit Russia and Ecuador. Waves of 1–3 meters are also expected in Japan, Hawaii, Chile, and the Solomon Islands. Hawaii ordered evacuations in low-lying areas, asking people to move to higher floors or safe zones.

The Philippines and Indonesia issued similar warnings. The Philippines advised people to stay away from beaches, while Indonesia warned that tsunami waves under 0.5 meters could reach some coastal areas.