In photos: Evacuations ordered in Japan, Hawaii and Russia after powerful quake triggers tsunami warning
Tsunami waves over 3 meters high were recorded in the Russian Pacific town of Severo-Kurilsk, with some waves reaching up to 5 meters, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency reported on Wednesday, citing emergency services. CNBC was unable to confirm the report.
Over in Hawaii, residents along the coast were told to move to the fourth floor or above in buildings with at least 10 stories. The Emergency Management Agency ordered all commercial habors to be closed and warned that "the arrival of tsunami waves can happen over a period of hours." Hawaii Governor Josh Green said all flights in and out of Maui were canceled.
Japan issued an evacuation alert after the major earthquake, while warning alerts of a tsunami were sounded in coastal towns across the country's Pacific coast. According to Japan's Kyodo news agency, automaker Nissan Motor suspended operations at some domestic factories.
Take a look at some of the photos below.
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Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
The Latest: Tsunami warnings lifted in most places
A tsunami sent waves into parts of Russia, Japan, Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the Russian Far East early Wednesday. The quake was one of the biggest ever recorded. Several people were injured, but none gravely. No major damage has been reported. The danger appeared to be subsiding in most places, but Chile kept alerts at the highest level for most of its lengthy Pacific coast while New Zealand renewed a warning to avoid the water. Here's the latest: New Zealand renews warnings Authorities in New Zealand renewed an advisory late in the afternoon local time that urged people to stay out of the water and off beaches. Officials said rebounding tsunami activity from South America meant that strong and unusual currents could continue for another 24 hours, a directive from authorities said. In the latest alert, officials removed a stretch of the country's coastline from the area affected by rough seas caused by tsunami waves. No large tsunami waves have been recorded in New Zealand, which is about 6,000 miles from the quake's epicenter, but some areas registered surges 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 inches) bigger than usual. Two thirds of New Zealanders live within 3 miles of the ocean. Those responsible for New Zealand's national warning system, which broadcasts alerts to every cell phone in the country with a loud siren sound, defended its use Thursday after a glitch caused one alert to be sent in error repeatedly throughout the night. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said the system's shortcomings would be investigated. Tsunami alerts lowered in much of South America In South America, three of the four countries with coastlines on the Pacific lifted the tsunami warnings. Authorities in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru on Wednesday announced the tsunami alerts were dropped. In Chile, the country with the largest Pacific coastline in South America, the government kept the alert along most of the coastline while lifting it in some areas where authorities said there are no longer risks. Chile's Interior Minister, Álvaro Elizalde, said late Wednesday that evacuation orders remain in place in areas with remaining alerts and classes will continue canceled on Thursday. He said that waves reached a height of 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) in some places, and in one location reached 2.5 meters (8.2 feet). Chile is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis. 1 died and 10 injured in Japan as people rushed to shelter In Japan, one person died and 10 others — most of them in Hokkaido — were injured while heading shelter following the tsunami alert, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Thursday. A woman in her 50s died after falling from a cliffside road while driving to an evacuation center in central Japan's Mie Prefecture, Hayashi said. Separately, 11 people were taken to hospital after developing symptoms of heatstroke while taking shelter in hot weather, with temperatures rising to around 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in some places. New Zealand says tsunami activity has begun Emergency management officials say coastlines of New Zealand are experiencing strong currents and wave surges as tsunami activity reaches shores. It's early morning Thursday in New Zealand. An alert broadcast to every cell phone says the threat is likely to remain in place until at least midday. Evacuations haven't been ordered. But people throughout the South Pacific island nation are warned to stay out of the water and away from beaches, shorelines, harbors, rivers and estuaries. New Zealand is about 6000 miles (9,656 kilometers) from the quake's epicenter. Officials warn that the first tsunami waves might not be the largest to arrive and people should treat the threat as real until the alert is canceled. Tsunami advisory is canceled for Oregon, Washington state The tsunami advisory is canceled for Oregon and Washington state. Experts say it's challenging to know exactly when all of the tsunami alerts and advisories will be dropped. 'It's kind of hard to predict because this is such an impactful event and has created so many of these waves passing by. It's hard to say exactly when they're going to be done,' said Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator for the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska. Snider said tsunami advisories are still in effect for Hawaii, parts of Alaska and parts of California. In Alaska, 'we didn't feel a thing' A spokesperson for Alaska's state emergency management agency, Jeremy Zidek, says in a text that no damage has been reported. The community of Adak recorded the largest tsunami wave in Alaska at 2.7 feet, or less than a meter. 'I think what really surprised us, given the magnitude of that earthquake on Kamchatka, is that we didn't feel a thing,' Adak City Manager Breck Craig said. 'The bad thing is, that it might be our turn next.' Colombia orders evacuation of beaches Officials in Colombia have ordered the complete closure and evacuation of beaches and low-tide areas along the country's Pacific coast. Maritime traffic is also being restricted. Officials say strong currents and tsunami waves were possible in two coastal states, including one that borders Ecuador. Threat to US 'has passed completely' U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the threat of a major tsunami hitting the United States 'has passed completely.' Noem, speaking in Chile where she is attending meetings with officials, told reporters in the capital, Santiago: 'We're in really good shape right now. We were fully deployed and ready to respond if necessary, but grateful that we didn't have to deal with the situation that this could have been.' Chile raises tsunami warning to highest level Chile has upgraded its tsunami warning to its highest level. The red alert covers most of its 6,400-kilometer (4,000-mile) Pacific coastline, from Arica and Parinacota near its northern border to Magallanes in the far south. The Education Ministry also canceled classes along much of the coast. Explosions and lava flows on Russian volcano Lava has begun to flow from the largest active volcano in the northern hemisphere Wednesday following the earthquake off Russia's far eastern coast. The Klyuchevskaya Sopka — which last erupted in 2023 — stands at 4,750 meters (15,584 feet) in the east of Russia's Kamchatka region. Observers heard explosions and saw streams of lava on the volcano's western slopes, the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences' geophysical service said. Scientists have anticipated an eruption, with the volcano's crater filling with lava for several weeks and the mountain spitting out plumes of ash. Sometimes described as the 'land of fire and ice,' Kamchatka is one of the most active volcanic regions in the world. It has about 300 volcanoes, of which 29 are active, according to NASA Earth Observatory. California city urges people to stay away from beaches Officials warned people to stay away from beaches and waterways in Crescent City, California, which has observed dozens of tsunamis since the 1930s, including one that killed 11 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings in the city in 1964. The warning came after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's Far East coast on Wednesday. The U.S. National Weather Service's Eureka office reported tsunami waves with a maximum height of 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) in Crescent City — enough to create minor coastal flooding and inundation. The 1964 event, considered the worst tsunami disaster recorded in the United States, began with a 9.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska, according to the Crescent City website. Three smaller waves caused little damage, but then a big wave — nearly 21 feet (more than 6 meters) — devastated 29 city blocks and killed 11. The city's downtown was mostly rebuilt and today a walking tour highlights high-water marks posted on surviving buildings, objects pushed by waves and memorials to those who died. Japan downgrades last tsunami alert Japan has downgraded its last remaining tsunami alert, which was in the country's north. Tsunami advisories remain in place for its Pacific coast following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off Russia's Far East on Wednesday. Russian authorities cancel tsunami warnings for 2 regions Russian authorities on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands have canceled their tsunami warnings but say the risk of aftershocks and waves remains. The regional branch of Russia's Emergency Ministry on Kamchatka warned that scientists expect aftershocks at magnitudes of up to 7.5. It said that more tsunamis are possible in the Avacha Bay where the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located. Russia says regional authorities were prepared The Kremlin said that regional authorities on Kamchatka were well prepared for the quake. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the warnings were issued timely and people were quickly evacuated from dangerous areas. He added that the buildings proved resilient to shocks. Tsunami-driven tides build in northern California Tsunami activity continued to build in northern California as high tide approached Wednesday morning with maximum confirmed heights along the coast of 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) in Crescent City, 3.0 feet (.9 meters) in Arena Cove and 1.2 feet (.4 meters) in Humboldt Bay, according to the National Weather Service office in Eureka. The measurements in Crescent City and Arena Cove were high enough to create minor coastal flooding and inundation, the weather service said on social media, adding that tsunami activity will persist and people should avoid beaches and harbors. Crescent City officials warned on social media that higher surges could arrive around high tide and could affect lower lying areas. They asked people to stay away from beaches and waterways. Hawaii and parts of Japan downgrade tsunami warnings Hawaii and parts of Japan downgraded tsunami warnings, with Hawaii lifting evacuation orders across the state while leaving a tsunami advisory in place. Officials in Hawaii said residents who had evacuated could return to their homes. Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, the Adjutant General of the State of Hawaii Department of Defense, said an advisory means there is the potential for strong currents and dangerous waves, as well as flooding on beaches or in harbors. Russia declares state of emergency in areas hit by earthquake The Russian authorities declared a state of emergency on the Kuril Islands and in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the main city on the Kamchatka peninsula. They earlier reported that several tsunami waves flooded the fishing port of Severo-Kurilsk, the main city on the islands, and cut power supplies to the area. Russia's Oceanography Institute said tsunami waves that hit the city topped 6 meters (19 feet). Japan asserts territorial rights to the four Pacific islands it calls the Northern Territories. They were taken by the Soviet Union in the final days of World War II, and the dispute has kept the countries from signing a peace treaty. 8.8-magnitude quake was among the strongest this century Wednesday's 8.8-magnitude quake was among the four strongest earthquakes this century, and among the eight strongest since 1900, according to the USGS. The earthquake occurred along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world's earthquakes occur. The 2011 Japan quake and the 2004 earthquake off Indonesia were 9.1 magnitude, and a 2010 earthquake in Chile also was recorded at 8.8 magnitude. Japanese official warns evacuees they might not be able to return home by day's end Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told evacuees in the tsunami-affected areas that they might not be able to return home by the end of the day on Wednesday. Hayashi said waves could remain high for at least one day, and he urged evacuees to take precautions and stay well hydrated in the summer heat. Damage and minor injuries reported in Russian Far East Local authorities on Russia's Kamchatka peninsula said several people were injured during the massive quake, but didn't give an exact number. Oleg Melnikov, head of the regional health department, said a few people hurt themselves while rushing to leave buildings and a hospital patient received an injury while jumping out of a window. Melnikov said that all injured people were in satisfactory condition. A video released by Russian media outlet showed a team of doctors at a cancer clinic on Kamchatka holding a patient and clutching medical equipment as the quake rocked an operating room, before continuing with surgery after the shaking stopped. Officials said the doctors will receive decorations. In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka's regional capital, the quake damaged a local kindergarten, which was not in operation due to ongoing repair work. Water recedes at Hawaii beaches as tsunami reaches Oahu Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said officials observed water receding by 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) at Haleiwa Harbor on Oahu, the state's most populous island, an indication tsunami waves will arrive. The waves pulling out left boats to lay on dry rock and sand. 'That gave us pause,' Green said. So far no damage has been recorded, but it will take two to three hours of observation before authorities will be able to determine whether the event has passed, Green said. Pacific island nations urge people to avoid coastlines Authorities in a number of small island nations in the South Pacific Ocean urged people to stay away from coastlines, familiarize themselves with evacuation routes and await further guidance from officials, but did not order evacuations. Some tiny and low-lying Pacific island chains are among the world's most imperiled by tsunamis and rising seas. Cautions to stay away from beaches until any wave surges passed late Wednesday were issued by officials in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia and Solomon Islands. Nearly 2 million people under evacuation advisories in Japan Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said nearly 2 million residents are now under evacuation advisories in more than 220 municipalities along the Pacific coast as of midday Wednesday. It added that one person was slightly injured on the northern island of Hokkaido when a woman in her 60s fell while rushing to evacuate. She was taken to a hospital. Governor says Hawaii is ready for evacuations Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said data from Midway Atoll, which is part of the way between Japan and Hawaii, measured tsunami waves from peak to trough of 6 feet (1.8 meters). He said waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller and it was too early to tell how large they would be. A tsunami of that size would be akin to a three foot (90 centimeter) wave riding on top of surf, he said. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said data from Midway Atoll, which is part of the way between Japan and Hawaii, measured tsunami waves from peak to trough of 6 feet (1.8 meters). He said waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller and it was too early to tell how large they would be. A tsunami of that size would be akin to a three foot (90 centimeter) wave riding on top of surf, he said. He told a new conference that a wave that size could move cars and throw fences around. 'It can dislodge trees, that's why you can't just be out there. The impact is at great speed,' Green said. 'Any any structure that gets loose and strikes the individual could take them out. And people can drown quite easily with the force of that kind of wave.' Green said Black Hawk helicopters have been activated and high-water vehicles were ready to go in case authorities need to rescue people. 'But please do not put yourself in harm's way,' he said. Tsunami sirens sound in remote California city The small Northern California community of Crescent City turned on its tsunami sirens to warn residents about possible waves. 'You are hearing a Tsunami Siren. We are under a Tsunami Warning. Please stay away from beaches and waterways. A predicted wave may hit at 11:55 pm. We are waiting on additional information about any level of evacuation,' read a post from the City Hall Facebook account. The city in rural Northern California has roughly 6,000 residents. A tsunami in 1964 caused by an earthquake in Alaska caused a wave 21 feet (6.4 meters) high to hit the city, killing 11 people and destroying its downtown. Lines form at Honolulu gas stations There were long lines at gas stations near downtown Honolulu, with standstill traffic even in areas away from the shoreline. A Texaco gas station in the Nuuanu-Punchbowl neighborhood closed early so that workers could go home. The workers set out cones at pumps and turned away motorists. Jimmy Markowski, on a family vacation from Hot Springs, Arkansas, ended up at the closed Texaco station after fleeing their Waikiki beach resort in a caravan of three cars carrying 15 people. 'All we're trying to do is just figure out what we're going to do for the next three or four hours,' he said. 'We've got water, we got some snacks ... we're going to stay elevated. This is our first tsunami warning ever. So this is all new to us.'
Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Boston Globe
‘Over-evacuation' may have prompted traffic problems before tsunami hit Hawaii, officials say
The tsunami from the 8.8 magnitude quake that struck off a Russian peninsula ended up causing little damage across the ocean. But Hawaii officials say the earthquake's timing — during the afternoon rush hour — and the several hours of warning afforded by its distance helped make for severe traffic congestion in some areas, complicating evacuation efforts that otherwise went smoothly. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It was definitely a bit of a wake-up call to me that in these very kind of dense areas with a lot of population, it works OK as long as everybody doesn't need to go into the car all at once,' Sun-Miyashiro said. 'If that happens, you're pretty much paralyzed in place.' Advertisement 'Over-evacuation' was an issue, officials say Hotels sent nonessential employees home early, putting additional drivers on the roads. A few tourists left for higher ground, rather than shelter on upper floors of hotels as called for in evacuation plans. Some residents headed to stores for supplies, and many headed home after work to gather items or meet up with family members before evacuating. Advertisement Additionally, some residents may have been confused about whether they really needed to evacuate, said Molly Pierce, spokesperson for the Oahu Department of Emergency Management. There are standard tsunami evacuation zones, as well as zones for 'extreme' tsunamis. Tuesday's was a standard evacuation; some residents who live in 'extreme' tsunami zones may have fled as well, even though they were already in safe areas, she said. No need to hit Costco Ed Sniffen, director of the state Department of Transportation, said Wednesday he doesn't regret giving the public as much advance warning as possible. But next time, he would like to provide more education about how people should manage that time. 'That additional time, everybody tried to fill it. As soon as many heard about the event coming through, they tried to leave as soon as possible,' he said. 'In other areas, people who were in safe zones, left those safe zones to go fill gas, went to go buy stuff from Costco or Safeway.' It would have been more efficient for people to stay put if they were in a safe location, leaving the roads to those who needed to leave inundation zones, 'and then make their way home in 20 minutes versus 2 1/2 hours.' The state should also do a better job informing tourists that another option is simply to walk inland to higher ground, he said. State Rep. Adrian Tam, who chairs the House Tourism Committee, said he was concerned about the gridlock in Waikiki, a legendary beachfront neighborhood that's highly popular with tourists and which has only four roads in and out. He called it 'a warning sign for the state and the city to look at ways to make things a little bit more organized.' Advertisement 'I'm grateful that it wasn't as serious as it could have been,' Tam said. 'It does raise serious questions about how are we going to address massive gridlock.' Hawaii usually has plenty of warning before tsunamis strike Hawaii does not sit on a tectonic fault line, but in the middle of the Pacific Plate. The major earthquakes that strike the state typically involve the weight of the still-growing volcanic islands bending and stressing the Earth's crust and upper mantle. Rarely are those strong enough to cause a large tsunami, though a magnitude 7.2 quake in 1975 generated a tsunami that killed two campers on the Big Island. The tsunamis that reach Hawaii usually arise from far-off earthquakes around the Ring of Fire — including in Japan, Alaska and Chile — and provide hours of lead time for evacuations. On Tuesday, officials also took heed from the devastating wildfire in Lahaina, ensuring that a military road from Oahu's Waianae Coast to the center of the island was open. A private road on Maui — commonly known as 'Oprah's Road' because Oprah Winfrey has an easement to use it — was also open for any evacuees who needed it. 'I didn't hear a car horn honk' Jake Bacon, a freelance photographer from Arizona, was vacationing with his family at Bellows Air Force Station, a military recreation area on Oahu, when a security officer knocked on the door of their oceanfront cabin with instructions to evacuate to a military hospital partway across the island. It took him about 90 minutes to reach the hospital in traffic, and the family eventually wound up spending the night in a Safeway parking lot, where they had access to food and a restroom. Advertisement Still, he was struck by how orderly the evacuation was, especially compared to wildfire evacuations he's witnessed. 'I didn't hear a car horn honk,' Bacon said. 'Maybe a wave coming that's not gonna be here for two hours is different than seeing the mountain on fire and knowing that it's coming and worrying that you're gonna lose everything you own,' he added. 'But everybody just sat patiently and moved through traffic. Everybody acted in a way that just seemed, you know, how you would want it to be.' Johnson reported from Seattle.
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Over-evacuation' may have prompted traffic problems before tsunami hit Hawaii, officials say
HONOLULU (AP) — David Sun-Miyashiro was at home on the 31st floor of a Honolulu apartment building, high above danger, when his phone alerted him to a possible tsunami from a massive earthquake far across the Pacific Ocean. With plenty of time to spare before any surging waters might possibly reach Hawaii, he did something he probably wouldn't have done in a more urgent scenario: He got in his car to go pick up his father, who would be needing a ride to the airport later. He didn't get far. Traffic in his neighborhood, Kakaako, was gridlocked. Sun-Miyashiro spent an hour going a few blocks, decided to turn around and finally abandoned his car, walking home with his preschool-age son. The tsunami from the 8.8 magnitude quake that struck off a Russian peninsula ended up causing little damage across the ocean. But Hawaii officials say the earthquake's timing — during the afternoon rush hour — and the several hours of warning afforded by its distance helped make for severe traffic congestion in some areas, complicating evacuation efforts that otherwise went smoothly. 'It was definitely a bit of a wake-up call to me that in these very kind of dense areas with a lot of population, it works OK as long as everybody doesn't need to go into the car all at once,' Sun-Miyashiro said. 'If that happens, you're pretty much paralyzed in place.' 'Over-evacuation' was an issue, officials say Hotels sent nonessential employees home early, putting additional drivers on the roads. A few tourists left for higher ground, rather than shelter on upper floors of hotels as called for in evacuation plans. Some residents headed to stores for supplies, and many headed home after work to gather items or meet up with family members before evacuating. Additionally, some residents may have been confused about whether they really needed to evacuate, said Molly Pierce, spokesperson for the Oahu Department of Emergency Management. There are standard tsunami evacuation zones, as well as zones for 'extreme' tsunamis. Tuesday's was a standard evacuation; some residents who live in 'extreme' tsunami zones may have fled as well, even though they were already in safe areas, she said. No need to hit Costco Ed Sniffen, director of the state Department of Transportation, said Wednesday he doesn't regret giving the public as much advance warning as possible. But next time, he would like to provide more education about how people should manage that time. 'That additional time, everybody tried to fill it. As soon as many heard about the event coming through, they tried to leave as soon as possible,' he said. 'In other areas, people who were in safe zones, left those safe zones to go fill gas, went to go buy stuff from Costco or Safeway.' It would have been more efficient for people to stay put if they were in a safe location, leaving the roads to those who needed to leave inundation zones, 'and then make their way home in 20 minutes versus 2 1/2 hours.' The state should also do a better job informing tourists that another option is simply to walk inland to higher ground, he said. State Rep. Adrian Tam, who chairs the House Tourism Committee, said he was concerned about the gridlock in Waikiki, a legendary beachfront neighborhood that's highly popular with tourists and which has only four roads in and out. He called it 'a warning sign for the state and the city to look at ways to make things a little bit more organized.' 'I'm grateful that it wasn't as serious as it could have been,' Tam said. 'It does raise serious questions about how are we going to address massive gridlock.' Hawaii usually has plenty of warning before tsunamis strike Hawaii does not sit near the edge of a tectonic plate, but in the middle of the Pacific Plate. The major earthquakes that strike the state typically involve the weight of the still-growing volcanic islands bending and stressing the Earth's crust and upper mantle. Rarely are those strong enough to cause a large tsunami, though a magnitude 7.2 quake in 1975 generated a tsunami that killed two campers on the Big Island. The tsunamis that reach Hawaii usually arise from far-off earthquakes around the Ring of Fire — including in Japan, Alaska and Chile — and provide hours of lead time for evacuations. On Tuesday, officials also took heed from the devastating wildfire in Lahaina , ensuring that a military road from Oahu's Waianae Coast to the center of the island was open. A private road on Maui — commonly known as 'Oprah's Road' because Oprah Winfrey has an easement to use it — was also open for any evacuees who needed it. 'I didn't hear a car horn honk' Jake Bacon, a freelance photographer from Arizona, was vacationing with his family at Bellows Air Force Station, a military recreation area on Oahu, when a security officer knocked on the door of their oceanfront cabin with instructions to evacuate to a military hospital partway across the island. It took him about 90 minutes to reach the hospital in traffic, and the family eventually wound up spending the night in a Safeway parking lot, where they had access to food and a restroom. Still, he was struck by how orderly the evacuation was, especially compared to wildfire evacuations he's witnessed. 'I didn't hear a car horn honk,' Bacon said. 'Maybe a wave coming that's not gonna be here for two hours is different than seeing the mountain on fire and knowing that it's coming and worrying that you're gonna lose everything you own,' he added. 'But everybody just sat patiently and moved through traffic. Everybody acted in a way that just seemed, you know, how you would want it to be.' ___ Johnson reported from Seattle. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
