Washington, MINA – A powerful earthquake with a revised magnitude of 8.8 struck off the eastern coast of Russia near the Kamchatka Peninsula early on Wednesday, prompting tsunami warnings and mass evacuations across multiple countries in the Pacific.
According to Al Jazeera, the quake, located approximately 136km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, has been described by Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov as the “strongest in decades.” Initial waves reaching up to 4 metres (13 feet) were recorded in Russia’s far east, and aftershocks measuring 6.9 and 6.3 followed in nearby areas.
Tsunami warnings were issued for Japan, the United States (including Hawaii and parts of California and Alaska), the Philippines, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and several Pacific island nations. The U.S. National Weather Service advised residents in coastal Hawaii to evacuate immediately, with destructive waves expected to reach the state by 7:10 AM local time.
In Japan, the Meteorological Agency warned of potential waves as high as 3 metres (9.8 feet) and advised residents in coastal and riverside areas to evacuate to high ground. Footage from Hokkaido showed early waves of around 30cm, and residents in affected zones were seen moving quickly to safer areas.
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Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called on the public to heed official warnings and not return to low-lying areas until all alerts are lifted.
Emergency agencies in affected countries continue to monitor wave activity closely. According to tsunami expert Robert Weis from Virginia Tech, the danger is significant: “Three metres is pretty destructive,” he noted.
Although injuries in Russia were reported as minor, authorities remain on high alert due to the potential for recurring waves and additional seismic activity. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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