A powerful 8.8‑magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami warnings and evacuations across Japan, Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast.
A powerful magnitude‑8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 30, becoming the sixth‑strongest ever recorded. The shallow quake generated tsunami waves up to 5 metres high in Severo‑Kurilsk, prompting evacuations in the remote area.
In Japan, authorities ordered coastal evacuations across 133 municipalities, affecting over 900,000 to 2 million residents in regions from Hokkaido to Wakayama. Although recorded wave heights reached only about 0.4 metres, the government warned of higher waves to come and the potential for multiple surges. Japan’s Fukushima nuclear facility was evacuated as a precaution, but no irregularities were reported.
In the U.S., tsunami warnings and watches were issued for Hawaii, Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, and the West Coast including California, Oregon, and Washington. Hawaii Governor Josh Green advised residents: “You have to expect that there will be flooding … You should be safe and therefore not sorry.”
Officials urged coastal populations to move inland or to higher ground and stay away from shorelines until the all‑clear was given.