WEB DESK
Tsunami waves have hit parts of Russia, Japan and Hawaii in the United States after a massive earthquake off the Russian coast, with alerts issued for dozens of other countries. A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake which struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula this morning, prompting widespread tsunami warnings across the Pacific and triggering evacuations in multiple countries.
The first waves reached Hawaii just hours after the quake, with a 4 feet wave recorded off the coast of Oahu. Authorities have urged residents and tourists to stay out of evacuation zones until further notice. Governor of Hawaii Josh Green confirmed that waves are now impacting Hawaii and emphasized that the threat could persist for hours.
In Japan, more than 1.9 million people have been told to evacuate coastal areas. A wave measuring 4.3 feet hit the northern Iwate Prefecture. The Japanese Meteorological Agency has warned that the risk of tsunami waves may last for more than a day, especially during high tides.
Emergency measures have been enacted in Russia’s Sakhalin region, including a full evacuation of the Kuril Islands. Waves inundated a port town shortly after the quake. Local officials confirmed that all residents were safely evacuated.
Water services and power infrastructure in parts of Hawaii and Russia have also been impacted. In Maui, authorities shut off water supplies and wastewater systems as a precaution. The United States Coast Guard has closed all Hawaiian harbors to incoming traffic and diverted several flights mid-air. President Donald Trump issued a statement urging Americans to follow local guidance and stay alert.
China, Philippines, Indonesia, New Zealand, Peru, and Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands are among the other countries that have issued tsunami warnings. Coastal regions in these areas are bracing for waves that could range from 30cm to over 1 meter.
This is one of the strongest earthquakes recorded in modern history. Residents across the Pacific Rim have been urged to remain in safe zones and monitor official guidance as the situation unfolds.
Meanwhile, Following the earthquake and the potential tsunami threat, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco has advised Indian Nationals to follow local alerts by carefully monitoring alerts from US authorities, including local emergency management and the US Tsunami Warning Centers. It also urged them to move to higher ground, avoid coastal areas, prepare for emergencies, and keep devices charged. It asked to contact on Helpline number +1-415-483-6629 or to reach through email on [email protected] in case of emergency.
According to the US National Weather Service tsunami has reached the coast of California. The Jayapura City Disaster Management Agency in Papua, Indonesia has issued an appeal to coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground. Japan’s Meteorological Agency says tsunami waves have reached parts of the country’s coast. The areas include the Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate prefectures, the agency said waves could reach as high as 3 m.