The U.S. Tsunami Warning System cautioned that waves of up to 3 metres were possible across Russia, Hawaii, Ecuador, Chile, and the Solomon Islands.
A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, triggering tsunami waves of up to 5 metres and sparking widespread evacuation orders across the Pacific, including in Hawaii and Japan.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the shallow quake, at a depth of 19.3 km, was centred 119 km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Russian scientists confirmed it was the most powerful in the region since 1952.
Residents in Kamchatka reported several minutes of violent shaking. “I decided to leave the building,” said Yaroslav, 25, from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. “It felt like the walls could collapse any moment.”
Tsunami waves swept into Severo-Kurilsk, flooding a port and fish processing plant, and dragging vessels from their moorings. Governor Vladimir Solodov said, “Today’s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors.”
In Hawaii, officials urged coastal residents to move to higher ground. “Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,” the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management posted.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later confirmed waves of up to 1.7 metres had reached the islands, forcing flight cancellations in Maui.
Japan also issued evacuation orders for tens of thousands, including workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Local media reported one fatality in Mie Prefecture, where a woman’s car plunged off a cliff during evacuation.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System cautioned that waves of up to 3 metres were possible across Russia, Hawaii, Ecuador, Chile, and the Solomon Islands.
Despite widespread damage to infrastructure, Russia’s emergency ministry said no fatalities had been confirmed. Aftershocks up to magnitude 6.9 continued to rattle the region, though scientists said stronger tremors were unlikely.
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**Extracts for Highlight**
* *“It felt like the walls could collapse any moment,” said Yaroslav, a resident of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.*
* *“Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,” warned Hawaii’s emergency agency.*
* *Governor Solodov: “The strongest in decades of tremors.”*