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A powerful magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday, prompting tsunami warnings from both Japan and parts of the US.
The earthquake has prompted tsunami alerts from both Japan and the US Tsunami Warning Center.
According to preliminary reports citing Russia’s regional governor, no injuries have been reported so far, though a kindergarten building sustained damage, Reuters said.
The quake, described as the strongest in decades, hit about 136 km (85 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a shallow depth of 19 km (12 miles), according to the US Geological Survey. Shallow quakes carry a higher risk of severe surface shaking and tsunami waves.
The US Tsunami Warning Center issued an advisory for parts of Alaska and Hawaii, while Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned of possible tsunami waves up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) high along wide stretches of its coastline, expected to reach shore around 0100 GMT.
“A tsunami advisory has been issued as of 08:37 (2337 GMT) on July 30,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said on X, warning that “tsunamis will strike repeatedly. Do not enter the sea or approach the coast until the warning is lifted.”
The Japan Meteorological Agency said a first tsunami wave of about 30 centimeters reached Nemuro on the eastern coast of Hokkaido.
Authorities in all affected regions continue to monitor the situation and have advised people to stay alert and follow safety instructions as the tsunami threat remains active.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves between 1 to 3 meters above normal sea level could hit coastal areas in Hawaii, Chile, Japan, and the Solomon Islands. In parts of Russia and Ecuador, waves could be even higher—over 3 meters.
Russia’s Tass news agency reported that in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the largest city near the quake’s epicenter, people rushed outside without shoes or coats. Inside homes, cabinets fell, mirrors shattered, cars swayed, and building balconies visibly shook.
Power outages and mobile network failures were also reported in the Kamchatka region’s capital. On Sakhalin Island, residents were being evacuated and emergency services were operating at full capacity, according to a local official quoted by Tass.
The US National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska issued a tsunami warning for parts of the Aleutian Islands and a watch for areas along the West Coast, including California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii. The alert also covers large parts of Alaska’s coastline, including parts of the panhandle.