Tsunami scare amid Russia quake: UAE tourists cancel plans, people evacuate from danger zones
'I was quite scared,' she told Khaleej Times. 'This was the most powerful earthquake I have ever felt in my entire life. Everyone in my district ran out on the street, most of them wearing pyjamas just like me and carrying nothing. When the sirens howled, we knew it meant the threat of a tsunami. So the whole crowd went to the high ground. Everyone was panicking.'
On Wednesday, a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami alerts across the world including Japan and US and prompting evacuations in several coastal areas. Later in the day, some countries downgraded the alerts.
Daria said she was going to spend the next few days in her Dacha — a country house used as a summer home. 'Almost everyone in our city is going away to their dacha,' she said. 'We are incredibly lucky. The last significant earthquake occurred in 1952, when a tsunami wave destroyed several settlements, reaching a height of 15 metres. Thank God, we didn't have to face that, and the situation has improved. The strong tsunami wave has passed by us now.'
Change of plans
Emirati national Umm Abdul Rahman was in Shanghai with her extended family group of 12 people when news of the tropical cyclone and tsunami reached her.
'We got to know through our family and news reports that warnings were being issued and evacuations were happening,' she said. 'It was extremely windy and raining heavily in the part of Shanghai that we were in. However, we were not in a place that needed evacuations.'
She added that she and her family changed their plans due to the weather conditions. 'We were planning to go to the zoo today, but we cancelled that,' she said. 'We did a little bit of shopping in underground areas and then headed straight to the hotel. We dropped the rest of our plans because we didn't want to risk getting caught out in the bad weather.'
She said that she was thankful that they were safe. 'We have been following the news and saw that there were mass evacuations in many parts of Shanghai,' she said. 'We are very thankful that our area has been relatively unaffected and we have managed to stay safe.'
Alerts issued
Former Dubai resident Afzal Hussain was at work in New Zealand when he got an alert on his phone about a tsunami advisory. There was heavy rain and strong winds throughout the day in his city. He left early so he could be home with his teenage daughter. 'School was already over, and my daughter was at a friend's house close by,' he said. 'I got off work early so I could pick her up and we stayed home.'
He added that such advisories were fairly regular in New Zealand. 'It is not a very serious weather advisory because there are no evacuations,' he said. 'On such occasions, we don't stock up or anything, but we don't go out much. So, on Wednesday, we just spent the rest of the day at home.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
13 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Earthquake of 6.2 magnitude recorded in Russia's Kamchatka
On Wednesday, Kamchatka experienced the strongest earthquake since 1952, measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale A 6.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Kamchatka, Russia at 22:20pm UAE time, according to the NCM National Seismic Network. The Kamchatka region in Russia's Far East recorded 120 aftershocks in just 24 hours, reported WAM. The Russian Emergencies Ministry announced in a statement that the tremors ranged in magnitude from 3.5 to 6.7, and in populated centers, some recorded magnitudes ranging from 2 to 5. One of the strongest aftershocks recorded today was 204 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, of 5.6 magnitude, following the earthquake on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Kamchatka experienced the strongest earthquake since 1952, measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale. It triggered widespread tsunami warnings in the US, Japan, Russia, China and others. Around 10-foot tsunami waves hit Hawaii on Wednesday morning after the earthquake, triggering an evacuation.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Earthquake of magnitude 6.5 strikes east of Kuril Islands
An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 struck east of the Kuril Islands on Thursday, a statement by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks. Earlier on Wednesday, another earthquake of magnitude 6.3 struck the Kuril Islands at a depth of 10 km. Over 125 aftershocks of magnitude 4.4 or greater have occurred near Russia in the more than 16 hours since the massive 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast, according to data from the US Geological Survey, CNN reported. Of those, three have been magnitude 6.0 or greater, with the strongest being a 6.9 that occurred about 45 minutes after the main shock. Strong aftershocks continue to rock the region, with a 6.4 magnitude aftershock striking around 200 miles southwest of Wednesday's main quake's epicentre. Aftershocks are generally strongest and most numerous in the hours to days after the main earthquake, decreasing in number and intensity as time goes on.
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Gulf Today
Powerful quake in Russia causes tsunami; Japan orders evacuations
A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered 4-metre (13-foot) tsunami waves and sparked evacuation orders across the Pacific on Wednesday. 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 U.S. 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. Tsunami waves reaching 10-13 feet 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. This frame grab shows rescuers inspecting a damaged kindergarten building in Russia's Kamchatka region. AFP "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. 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 U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and was centred 119 km 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 started slowly but built up and rumbled for several minutes. "Considering its strength and how long it lasted … I decided to leave the building," said Yaroslav, 25. Residents and visitors found themselves backed up in traffic as they try to leave the the Ala Way Harbor, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii. AFP "The building is very flimsy and light, which might be why it survived. But it felt like the walls could collapse any moment. The shaking lasted continuously for at least 3 minutes." Warnings across the Pacific 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 in 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. Visitors with their bags in tow leave the Ala Way Harbor, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii. AFP Three tsunami waves had been recorded in Japan, the largest of 60cm (24 inches), 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. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System also warned of "hazardous tsunami waves" spreading across the Pacific. Waves reaching more than 3 metres were possible along some coasts of Russia, the northern Hawaiian islands and Ecuador, while waves of 1-3 metres 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 U.S. West Coast. "Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii," U.S. 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. Japan is also in the way. Please visit for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!" '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. People queue up to pay for their parking as they leave the beachside area at Inage Seaside Park after much of coastal Japan went on tsunami alert. AFP "Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal," Melnikov said. 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." Reuters
