A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the eastern coast of Russia has sent tsunami waves crashing towards Hawaii, prompting urgent warnings across the Pacific on Wednesday.
The earthquake, which struck early Wednesday, is one of the strongest ever recorded and has already caused injuries in Russia and one confirmed case in Japan.
The quake’s epicentre was located approximately 78 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. As residents nearby fled inland, reports indicated severe flooding at ports on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Northern Japan experienced frothy, white waves lapping against its shores, while in Hawaii, emergency response plans were activated amid rising tensions over potential tsunami impacts.
Authorities in Hawaii reported that tsunami waves as high as 6ft (1.8m) had already been recorded, with warnings that even larger waves could follow. Local officials cautioned, ‘people can drown quite easily’ in the strength and force of these surges, which are capable of sweeping individuals away.
Evacuation orders have been issued for large areas along the west coast of the United States, with authorities urging residents to ‘take action now’ and move to higher ground.
Preliminary data reported tsunami heights of approximately 3-4 metres (10 to 13ft) in Kamchatka, while the northern island of Hokkaido in Japan saw waves of 60cm (2ft). Alaska’s Aleutian Islands experienced minor surges of around 1.4ft (less than 30cm).
The US National Weather Service confirmed the presence of tsunami waves in the Arena Cove and Monterey area of California during the early hours, prompting a heightened alert across the Pacific region, as reported by AOL.
As part of the response to the seismic event, the National Tsunami Warning Center upgraded alerts for Northern California’s coast from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon border to a full tsunami warning, including Crescent City, which suffered deadly tsunami damage in 1964.
Areas of California further south remain under a lower-level advisory, though reports indicate that conditions could still be perilous.
Governor Josh Green of Hawaii issued an emergency proclamation, signalling serious intentions to prepare for the worst. Tsunami sirens echoed through Honolulu as residents braced for action, with high-water vehicles and Black Hawk helicopters on standby for rescues if necessary.
Green highlighted the potential devastation a tsunami of this scale could cause, comparing it to a 3ft (90cm) wave riding on top of surf, capable of moving cars and uprooting trees.
‘Any structure that gets loose and strikes an individual could take them out,’ he warned.
US President Donald Trump had also warned that: ‘Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii. A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way.’
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