New Baba Vanga's July 2025 prediction come true? Japan, Russia hit by Tsunami after massive 8.7 quake off Kamchatka

Economic Times

2 days ago

A massive magnitude-8.7 earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on July 30, 2025, triggering tsunami waves that reached Japan's northern island of Hokkaido and Russia's Kuril Islands. The quake, later revised to magnitude-8.8 by the US Geological Survey, is the strongest in the region since 1952.High waves crashed into coastal areas following the quake, with tsunami warnings and alerts issued across the Pacific, including the United States, Hawaii, and New Zealand.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued urgent warnings, advising residents to seek higher ground immediately. In Japan, sirens blared and evacuations were ordered, including at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, where workers were quickly moved to safety.This powerful natural disaster came just weeks after a prediction by Japanese manga artist and self-proclaimed clairvoyant Ryo Tatsuki began trending online. Often dubbed the 'New Baba Vanga of Japan', Tatsuki wrote in her 1999 manga book 'The Future I Saw' that the seas around southern Japan would 'boil' on July 5, 2025.Although no major quake happened exactly on that day, the recent 8.8-magnitude quake and resulting tsunami have left many wondering if her prophecy was a warning for the month itself rather than the exact date. Travel plans to Japan in July were reportedly cancelled in large numbers due to online buzz surrounding her prediction, especially on Japanese social media under hashtags like #July5Disaster.
Tsunamis are caused by sudden movements in the ocean floor, most often earthquakes like the one off Kamchatka. The violent shift displaces vast amounts of seawater, forming waves that can travel across entire oceans at the speed of a jet plane.While earthquakes are the most common trigger, tsunamis can also be caused by volcanic eruptions, underwater landslides, and even meteorite impacts. In 1883, the eruption of Krakatoa led to waves that killed 30,000 people. And in 2004, a 9.1-magnitude quake off Indonesia caused a tsunami that killed over 220,000 people across 11 countries.The word 'tsunami' itself comes from Japanese and means 'harbour wave.' They are sometimes wrongly called 'tidal waves,' though they have nothing to do with tides.According to the Geophysical Survey, the July 30 quake is the strongest to hit Kamchatka since 1952. It struck about 119 kilometres from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, with a population of 180,000. Reports say people ran into the streets in panic, and there were power cuts, mobile network failures, and structural damage across affected areas.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of possible waves between 1 to 3 metres in places like Hawaii, Chile, Japan, and the Solomon Islands. Some regions of Russia and Ecuador could face even bigger waves, they warned. In New Zealand, authorities issued alerts warning of strong and unusual currents, advising people to stay away from beaches, rivers, and harbours.In short, no, earthquakes cannot be accurately predicted. While scientists can identify risk zones based on fault lines and tectonic history, the exact timing and location of a quake remain impossible to foresee.So, while Tatsuki's July 5 prophecy drew attention, experts stress it's purely coincidental. Seismologists agree that more scientific research and technology are needed to get even close to predicting major earthquakes.Whether coincidence or clairvoyance, Ryo Tatsuki's prediction has reignited public interest in natural disaster forecasts, both scientific and speculative. But the real takeaway is the importance of preparedness, education, and early warning systems in protecting lives during such catastrophic events.The Pacific remains one of the most seismically active regions on Earth, and nature has once again reminded us of its immense power.A Japanese manga artist and self-proclaimed psychic, she published a book in 1999 titled "The Future I Saw", which includes various predictions. She is sometimes referred to as the 'Japanese Baba Vanga.'Tatsuki predicted the seas around southern Japan would "boil" on July 5, 2025. Although no disaster occurred on that exact day, the end-of-month earthquake has sparked renewed interest in her claims.No. According to scientists, earthquake prediction with precise timing and location is not currently possible with existing technology.
Inputs from agencies