Russia Kamchatka earthquake tsunami impact causes alerts across Pacific as waves hit Hawaii, Japan, and Russia’s Kuril Islands.
A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday (July 30), setting off a series of tsunamis that hit the US state of Hawaii, Russia’s Kuril Islands, and Japan’s Hokkaido Island. The quake, the strongest in over a decade, injured several people and caused significant damage in remote Russian towns. In response, multiple countries across the Pacific Ocean issued widespread tsunami alerts, warning of hazardous waves and urging coastal evacuations.
Tsunami waves impacted several regions. In Hawaii, a four-foot (1.21 meters) wave struck Haleiwa, Oahu, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Governor Josh Green confirmed a six-foot wave passed Midway Atoll. All flights in and out of Maui were cancelled, per Reuters.
In Russia, the Kuril Islands’ port of Severo-Kurilsk was flooded the Sakhalin region declared a state of emergency after tsunami waves damaged infrastructure.
In Japan, waves reached Hamanaka town on Hokkaido Island, Kuji port in Iwate, and even Tokyo Bay. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that tsunami threats could persist for over a day.
From Alaska to New Zealand, tsunami warnings have been issued authorities expect wave heights between one and five feet across Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and California. Sirens went off in Crescent City, California, as officials urged people to avoid beaches.
In Canada, waves of up to 30 cm may hit Vancouver Island, warnings have also reached Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Mexico’s Pacific coast.
According to the US Tsunami Warning System, waves over three meters could strike parts of Russia, Hawaii, and Ecuador, while one to three metre waves may reach Japan, Chile, and the Solomon Islands.
Even China’s east coast, including Shanghai and Zhejiang, received alerts countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, New Zealand, and Peru have also activated warning systems.
In Russia’s Kamchatka, buildings suffered damage and power grids failed. Russia’s Ministry for Emergency Services reported injuries, including one person who jumped from a window and another who got hurt inside a new airport terminal. A kindergarten was damaged, and several people were injured while trying to escape.
One local in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky described the tremor as terrifying. “The shaking lasted at least three minutes,” said 25-year-old Yaroslav. “It felt like the walls could collapse.”
In Japan, no major damage has been reported however, a woman in her 60s suffered minor injuries while evacuating in Hokkaido and the authorities have asked nearly two million residents in 220 coastal municipalities to evacuate as a precaution.
This seismic event underscores the ongoing risk across the Pacific Ring of Fire, where powerful earthquakes can trigger devastating tsunamis in multiple countries within hours.
