HT DIGITAL
GUWAHATI, JULY 30: A magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit off Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday morning, triggering tsunami waves in the Pacific and issuing emergency warnings across several countries, including Russia, Japan, the US, and several Pacific island and Latin American nations.
Waves of up to 4 meters (13 feet) flooded areas in Kamchatka, Russian officials said. The coastal community of Severo-Kurilsk in the Sakhalin area was hard hit by flooding, leading to the evacuation of about 2,000 residents. Video clips posted on social media showed extensive parts of town inundated as seawater pushed into the community.
Related Posts:
Emergency responders throughout the Pacific region went into action. The American and Japanese Tsunami Warning Centers predicted wave heights of as much as 3 meters (9.8 feet) for Ecuador and Russia. Predictions also suggested that nations such as Hawaii, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, and Japan would see tsunami waves of between 1 and 3 meters. Several Pacific islands were put on high alert.
The U.S. National Weather Service posted tsunami warnings for Hawaii, the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, and coastal California. Advisories were eventually extended to Oregon and Washington state with a wider watch encompassing the entire West Coast of the United States. Honolulu Department of Emergency Management in Hawaii called for evacuations of low-lying areas and warned residents through social media: “Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected.”
To assist in evacuation, commercial flights from Hilo International Airport in Hawaii were halted. Officials estimated the first waves to reach Hawaii by 7:10 p.m. local time Tuesday (05:00 GMT Wednesday).
Japan also reacted quickly, putting the country on tsunami alert. Japan’s Meteorological Agency predicted waves of up to 3 meters and advised coastal residents to seek higher ground. Early wave activity, approximately 30 centimeters (1 foot) in height, was reported off the coast of Hokkaido. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba cautioned people against underestimating the threat, saying, “Tsunamis can hit several times, do not go back until the warning is canceled.” No severe injuries or major damage have been reported in Japan so far.
Other countries across the Pacific Rim, including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan, also issued alerts and began preparing for potential wave impact.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicenter of the earthquake was around 136 kilometers (85 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The quake, initially recorded at magnitude 8.0, was upgraded to 8.8. Strong aftershocks that followed included tremors measuring 6.9 and 6.3 near Petropavlovsk and Vilyuchinsk.
Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov described the earthquake as the strongest in decades. Russia’s health ministry reported several minor injuries but no serious medical emergencies.
Dr. Robert Weis, an expert on tsunamis at Virginia Tech, noted the danger of such massive waves, adding, “Three meters is no small wave; it has the potential to be highly destructive.
Governments in the Pacific continue to keep a close eye on wave activity and seismic waves. Evacuation orders and tsunami warnings are still active as a precaution, with coastal residents encouraged to remain vigilant and put safety first.
