Tsunami waves reach Hawaii after huge quake rattles Russia
LOS ANGELES : A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami waves of up to 5m and sparked evacuation orders in Hawaii and across the Pacific today.
The shallow earthquake damaged buildings and injured several people in the remote Russian region, while much of Japan's eastern seaboard – devastated by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2011 – was ordered to evacuate.
In Hawaii, coastal residents were told to get to high ground or the fourth floor or above of buildings, and the US coast guard ordered ships out of harbours as the tsunami approached.
'Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,' the Honolulu department of emergency management said on X.
Shortly after 6am, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said 1m to 1.2m waves were impacting the Hawaiian islands.
Hawaii governor Josh Green said so far no waves of consequence hit the islands but all flights in and out of Maui were cancelled.
Tsunami waves struck parts of Kamchatka, partially flooding the port and a fish processing plant in the town of Severo-Kurilsk and sweeping vessels from their moorings, regional officials and Russia's emergency ministry said.
'Today's earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,' Kamchatka governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.
Russian scientists said it was the most powerful quake to hit the region since 1952.
Russia's ministry for emergency services said on Telegram that a kindergarten was damaged but most buildings withstood the quake.
No serious injuries or fatalities have been reported.
The US geological survey said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3km, and centred 119km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000.
It revised the magnitude up from 8.0 earlier, and reported a series of strong aftershocks up to a magnitude of 6.9.
A resident in the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky said the shaking rumbled for several minutes.
'I decided to leave the building,' said Yaroslav, 25.
'It felt like the walls could collapse any moment. The shaking lasted continuously for at least three minutes.'
Warnings across the Pacific
Tsunami alarms sounded in coastal towns across Japan's Pacific coast today. (AP pic)
Tsunami alarms sounded in coastal towns across Japan's Pacific coast and evacuation orders were issued for tens of thousands of people.
Workers evacuated the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, where a meltdown following the 2011 tsunami caused a radioactive disaster, operator Tepco said.
Footage on public broadcaster NHK showed scores of people on the northern island of Hokkaido on the roof of a building, sheltering under tents from the beating sun, as fishing boats left harbours to avoid potential damage from the incoming waves.
Automaker Nissan Motor suspended operations at certain domestic factories in Japan to ensure employee safety, Kyodo news agency reported.
Three tsunami waves had been recorded in Japan, the largest of 1.3m, officials said.
Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said there were no injuries or damage reported so far, and no irregularities at any nuclear plants.
Tsunami waves of between 1m to 3m can be fatal for people who are swept away, said NHK.
They can also cause flooding and damage wooden buildings, with people at risk of being killed by large drifting objects, according to the Japan Lifesaving Association.
The US tsunami warning system also warned of 'hazardous tsunami waves' spreading across the Pacific.
Waves reaching more than 3m were possible along some coasts of Russia, the northern Hawaiian islands and Ecuador, while waves of 1m to 3m were possible in countries including Japan, Hawaii, Chile and the Solomon Islands, it said.
Smaller waves were possible along coastlines across much of the Pacific, including the US West Coast.
'Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii,' US president Donald Trump said in a social media post.
'A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States.'
'Ring of fire'
Several people in Kamchatka sought medical assistance following the quake, Oleg Melnikov, regional health minister, told Russia's TASS state news agency.
In Severo-Kurilsk in the northern Kuril islands, south of Kamchatka, tsunami waves exceeded 3m, with the largest up to 5m, Russia's RIA news agency reported.
Alexander Ovsyannikov, the town's mayor, said four tsunami waves had passed.
He urged residents to assess damage to their homes and not to use gas stove heating until inspections had been carried out, in order to avoid a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Power to the Sakhalin region had been cut off due to damage to the electricity grid, RIA said, citing the regional governor.
Kamchatka and Russia's Far East sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The Russian Academy of Sciences said it was the strongest quake to hit the region since 1952.
'However, due to certain characteristics of the epicentre, the shaking intensity was not as high… as one might expect from such a magnitude,' said Danila Chebrov, director of the Kamchatka branch of the geophysical service, on Telegram.
'Aftershocks are currently ongoing… Their intensity will remain fairly high. However, stronger tremors are not expected in the near future. The situation is under control.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Japan lifts tsunami advisory after Russia's 8.8 magnitude quake
TOKYO: Japan has lifted all tsunami advisories following a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka peninsula. The Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed coastal alerts ended at 4:30 pm local time after determining wave heights wouldn't increase further. Initial fears of a catastrophic repeat of 2004's Indian Ocean disaster proved unfounded, though the quake did trigger Pacific-wide precautions. Nearly two million Japanese residents evacuated to higher ground as a precaution, recalling 2011's deadly tsunami. The largest wave measured just 1.3 metres, causing limited damage. Russian authorities reported more severe impacts near the epicentre, with tsunami waters flooding Severo-Kurilsk's port and fish processing plant. State television footage showed debris being swept out to sea, though injuries remained light. Japan's sole fatality occurred during evacuation when a woman's car plunged off a cliff. Unrelated to the seismic activity, four sperm whales beached in Japan sparked speculation about environmental links. Local surfer Fumiko Udagawa connected the stranding to warmer ocean temperatures, while visitor Akira Komatsu questioned if whales sensed impending quakes through magnetic fields. – AFP
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Japan sees new record high temperature of 41.2°C
Japan's summer last year was the joint-hottest on record, equalling the level seen in 2023. (EPA Images pic) TOKYO : Japan sweltered in a new record temperature of 41.2°C today, with the mercury also hitting 40°C in the ancient capital of Kyoto for the first time since observations began. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as climate change creates ever more erratic weather patterns, and Japan is no exception. Today's new record in the western region of Hyogo surpassed the previous high of 41.1°C seen in Hamamatsu in 2020 and Kumagaya in 2018, the weather office said. The record comes on a day Japan was also on high alert for tsunamis after a massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Far East Russia. In tourist hotspot Kyoto the mercury hit 40°C, the first time any of its observation points – the oldest opened in 1880, the newest in 2002 – had seen such a high, authorities said. Japan's summer last year was the joint hottest on record, equalling the level seen in 2023, followed by the warmest autumn since records began 126 years ago. The Japanese government has issued heatstroke warnings to a large swathe of the archipelago in recent days as temperatures topped 35°C at hundreds of observation points. Yesterday, the temperature hit 35°C or higher at 322 of 914 observation points nationwide, reportedly the highest number since comparative data became available in 2010. New highs were set in 38 locations, including Gujo in Gifu prefecture in central Japan, which reached 39.8°C, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The heatwave is forecast to continue, the JMA said, warning of a 'significant' rise in temperature in northern and eastern regions. 'Please take care of your health including (avoiding) heatstroke,' it said. Heatstroke A total of 10,804 people in Japan were sent to hospital due to heatstroke last week, the highest weekly figure this year. In total 16 people died, the fire and disaster management agency said. The number is the highest this year, surpassing the previous record of 10,053 people hospitalised in the week from June 30 to July 6. Every summer, Japanese officials urge the public to seek shelter in air-conditioned rooms to avoid heatstroke. The elderly in Japan – which has the world's second-oldest population after Monaco – are particularly at risk. Western Europe saw its hottest June on record last month, as extreme temperatures blasted the region in punishing back-to-back heatwaves, according to the EU climate monitor Copernicus. Dangerous temperatures stretched into July, with separate research estimating that climate change made the heat up to 4°C hotter, pushing the thermometer into deadly territory for thousands of vulnerable people and greatly worsening the projected death toll. Millions were exposed to high heat stress as daily average temperatures in western Europe climbed to levels rarely seen before – and never so early in the summer. Several countries recorded surface temperatures above 40°C, with heat of up to 46°C in Spain and Portugal, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
French Polynesia's Marquesas isles warned of 4m tsunami waves
The Marquesas Islands have a population of approximately 9,500. (AFP pic) PARIS : Authorities in French Polynesia warned the population of several of the Marquesas Islands to expect tsunami waves up to 4m high in the early hours of this morning after a huge quake off Russia's Far East. They said the waves would reach the islands of Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa at 12.57am local time. Other islands in the Marquesas were expected to experience wave heights between 0.60m and 0.90m, the local government also said. The warnings follow a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. 'Our armed forces in French Polynesia are on alert as a precautionary measure, to be ready to assist our fellow citizens and state services in potential search and rescue operations or medical evacuations,' French defence minister Sebastien Lecornu said on the social media platform X. Residents were urged to move to higher ground and follow official instructions, including securing boats or moving them away from the shore. The Marquesas Islands, among the most remote in the world, have a population of approximately 9,500, according to a 2022 census. The population is predominantly of Polynesian descent, alongside French and other immigrant communities. The largest settlements are Taiohae on Nuku Hiva and Atuona on Hiva Oa. Other archipelagos in French Polynesia may be affected by waves less than 30cm high, which do not require evacuation or sheltering, local authorities said. French Polynesia covers 4,200sq km of the Pacific Ocean. Its five archipelagos comprise 118 islands.
