Massive Earthquake Hits Russia, Japan Islands; Tsunami Warning Issued

Following a strong earthquake of magnitude 8.8 that hit Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuril islands and Japan’s large northern island of Hokkaido on Wednesday morning, tsunami warnings were issued for the coasts of the US, Japan and Russia. This could be the earthquake with powerful magnitude since 2011, when a 9.0-9.1 megaquake struck northeastern Japan.

The Meteorological Agency of Japan upgraded an earlier advisory of tsunami alert, hinting at waves up to 3 metres (yards) along the Pacific coast of Japan, which could potentially reach the northern coastal areas in less than 30 minutes after the issue of alert. Warning sirens were blared in Honolulu and people were advised to move to higher ground.

Russia regional minister for emergency situations Sergei Lebedev said that a tsunami measuring 3-4 metres (10-13 ft) was observed in parts of Kamchatka. He alerted the people to move away from the shoreline of the peninsula. Minimal damage had been reported so far in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula, which lies close to the epicenter, local governor Vladimir Solodov said.

After the earthquake, a tsunami warning was also issued for Hawaii, with the US National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre stating that a tsunami had been generated that “could cause damage to the coastlines of all the Hawaiian islands.