Early Wednesday, one of the most powerful earthquakes ever measured hit Russia’s isolated Kamchatka Peninsula, setting off tsunamis up to four meters tall and triggering mass evacuations throughout the Pacific area.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck at 8:24 a.m. local time (2304 GMT Tuesday) off the coast of Petropavlovsk. Among the ten most powerful earthquakes on earth. Local news claimed waves up to four meters high in the Elizovsky district, while Russian officials verified that a tsunami struck the port city of Severo-Kurilsk, flooding portions of the area. Videos running online showed residents fleeing buildings surrounded by floodwaters.
In Russia, at least several people were hurt, but none critically. Describing how families left with emergency provisions as the ground convulsively shook, one Elizovsky resident told state media, “The walls were shaking.”
The earthquake triggered tsunami alerts all around the Pacific, from North and South America to Japan. People in Hokkaido, Japan’s most northerly island, headed for higher ground as the first waves of 30 centimeters hit. Larger waves, officials said, might follow. Japan has still not reported any damage or wounds. As officials cautioned that tsunami waves “can be lethal,” residents and visitors in Hawaii were instructed to seek higher floors of buildings or mountainous terrain.
Since 1952, Wednesday’s earthquake was the biggest Kamchatka has seen. Regional seismic monitoring predicted possible aftershocks as strong as 7.5 magnitude. At least six major aftershocks have been noted to date, including one rated 6.9.
Waves more than three meters over typical tide levels were conceivable along areas of Ecuador, Russia, and the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, according to the US Tsunami Warning Centers. Among others, waves between one and three meters may hit coastal locations of Chile, Costa Rica, Guam, French Polynesia, Japan, and Hawaii. Waves of up to one meter may be experienced in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
Security cordons were erected along beaches in Chiba Prefecture of Japan; in certain locations, whale carcasses washed ashore. As a precautionary measure, employees at the Fukushima nuclear plant were evacuated. Tsunami sirens blared near Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, creating traffic congestion as inhabitants raced for inland safety.
Writing, “STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!” US President Donald Trump advised caution on social media. As repercussions and tsunami activity continue to be a danger, authorities all around the Pacific continue to closely monitor the situation.
