Foreign Office updates travel advice for 15 countries after huge 8.8 earthquake
The Foreign Office has updated its travel guidance for 15 countries after a massive earthquake rocked Russia's far east, triggering tsunami warnings that have forced millions to flee coastal areas across the globe.
The 8.8 magnitude quake struck near the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and was followed by multiple aftershocks as strong as 6.9 on the Richter scale. Warnings are now in place for Japan, Hawaii, the US West Coast and other Pacific nations, with several areas being urged to evacuate and relocate to higher ground. An earthquake and tsunami warning for the US reads: "An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.7 has struck the eastern coast of Russia in the Kamchatka Peninsula region."
"A tsunami threat message has been issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. If you are in the affected areas potentially affected by the earthquake or tsunami you should follow the advice of the local authorities."
The 15 countries with updates travel guidance includes:
Chile
Costa Rica
Kiribati
French Polynesia
USA
Peru
Samoa
Japan
Solomon Islands
Ecuador
Russia
New Zealand
Tonga
China
Taiwan
Russia's earthquake is one of the strongest ever recorded in the region. Horror four metre high tsunami waves left buildings in pieces and caused severe flooding in the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
It had a preliminary magnitude of 8.0 when it initially struck, but the US Geological Survey later updated its measurement to 8.8 magnitude.
The shallow quake has caused injuries for several people while on Japan's eastern coast an order was made to evacuate. A nursery was damaged but most buildings were able to stand firm, Russian authorities said.
Nearly two million individuals have been given evacuation advisories in over 220 municipalities along Japan's Pacific coast, according to the country's Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, coastal regions in Hawaii, Chile, Japan and the Solomon Islands could expect to see waves of 1-3m (3-10ft) above tide level.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported a tsunami of roughly 60cm at Hamanaka on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and Kuji port in Iwate on the main island, an increase from an earlier tsunami of 40cm.
One person has died so far, and tsunami flooding has damaged the port at Severo-Kurilsk on Russia's Kuril Islands.
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