A massive earthquake registering 8.8 on the Richter scale struck near the Russian coast, marking one of the strongest tremors ever recorded.
The quake prompted swift tsunami waves that reached Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast, compelling authorities to evacuate hundreds of thousands from coastal areas to seek higher ground.
In Hawaii, tsunami waves triggered dramatic receding water levels on Oahu, with reports indicating a drop of 20 to 30 feet.
Boats were left stranded on the dry sands as the ocean receded, illustrating the immediate impact of the waves.
Crescent City in California registered tsunami waves reaching up to 4 feet, with officials urging coastal residents to stay away from beaches due to safety concerns.
By late Wednesday morning, Los Angeles County had reopened its beaches after the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center lifted the advisory for the West Coast.
However, safety officials encouraged visitors to consult with lifeguards regarding current conditions before entering the water.
In Hawaii, the tsunami advisory was lifted by Wednesday afternoon, and evacuation orders were canceled for both the Big Island and Oahu, which is the most populated island.
There was significant congestion in neighborhoods like Honolulu on Tuesday as residents evacuated towards higher ground.
Meanwhile, the Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the largest active volcano in the northern hemisphere, began to erupt on Wednesday, coinciding with the earthquake.
Standing at 15,584 feet, the volcano, located in Russia’s Kamchatka region, released streams of lava and ash into the sky.
Scientists had anticipated the eruption, as lava filled the volcano’s crater over the preceding weeks.
Kamchatka is a well-known volcanic region with 300 volcanoes, 29 of which are active, according to NASA Earth Observatory.
Evacuation routes were established out of Waianae, a coastal community on Oahu.
Despite being summer vacation, some schools canceled sports and activities due to the emergency.
Sirens echoed across the islands as warnings continued to broadcast.
The tsunami advisory extended to large portions of Alaska’s coastline, including areas of the panhandle and northern Aleutian Islands, with tsunami waves measured at 2.7 feet in Adak, Alaska.
Initially rated at 8.0, the quake was later upgraded to a magnitude of 8.8 by the United States Geological Survey.
This earthquake is now tied for the sixth-strongest earthquake documented in history.
In the wake of the main quake, over a dozen aftershocks of 5.0 magnitude and greater struck the Pacific waters near the epicenter.
Across the globe, various countries reacted to the seismic activity.
In Chile, a country highly susceptible to earthquakes and tsunamis, officials soon raised their tsunami warning to the highest alert level along the extensive Pacific coast and initiated evacuations for hundreds of citizens.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric cautioned, “Remember that the first wave is usually not the strongest,” urging the population to remain calm and heed official directives.
In Russia, the quake rattled eastern regions, specifically near Kamchatka Peninsula’s city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Reports indicated that many residents fled into the streets without proper clothing or footwear, as cabinets toppled and mirrors shattered within their homes.
Although some injuries were reported, exact figures have not been disclosed.
Power outages and mobile service disruptions were noted throughout the Kamchatka region.
The first tsunami wave struck the coastal settlement of Severo-Kurilsk in the Kuril Islands, according to local authorities.
Residents had to take refuge on higher ground while awaiting confirmation that the threat had subsided.
In Japan, officials issued a tsunami alert for the Pacific coast, warning that waves could reach heights of up to 10 feet shortly after the alert was raised.
By midday Wednesday, nearly 2 million residents were under evacuation warnings in over 220 municipalities along the Pacific coast.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi informed evacuating residents that they might remain away from their homes throughout the day.
He advised them to remain cautious and hydrated amid the hot summer conditions.
Reports confirmed that Japan’s coastal nuclear power plants exhibited no abnormalities following the earthquake.
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which manages the tsunami-affected Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, reported that approximately 4,000 workers were taking refuge on higher ground while maintaining remote monitoring for safety checks.
The Philippines took precautions as well, warning coastal regions along the eastern archipelago of potential tsunami waves of less than 3 feet, expected between 1:20 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. local time.
Authorities emphasized that although the expected waves may not be large, they pose dangers due to their possible persistence over hours.
In Mexico, the navy indicated that tsunami waves measuring between 1 to 3.3 feet might impact the Pacific coast.
An official report stated that these waves would begin reaching the northern coast near Ensenada at approximately 2:22 a.m. Wednesday local time.
Waves would subsequently continue traveling southward before reaching Chiapas around 7:15 a.m. local time.
The navy recommended that individuals stay away from beaches until warnings are lifted.
In New Zealand, alerts were issued regarding “strong and unusual currents” and unpredictable surges along coastlines.
The country’s emergency management agency advised the population to vacate all beaches, harbors, marinas, rivers, and estuaries due to safety concerns.
New Zealand is situated about 6,000 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter, indicating the widespread effect of the seismic activity.
Other countries along the Pacific were also alerted, with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center indicating that areas of Chile, Ecuador, and the Solomon Islands could experience waves ranging from 3 to 10 feet above tide levels.
In Colombia, officials mandated the total evacuation and closure of beaches and areas affected by low tide while restricting maritime traffic.
Education officials in Ecuador canceled classes in the Galapagos Islands and along nearby coastal communities.
The USGS warned that damage from the earthquake could amount to billions of dollars and issued a rare red pager to signify the potential destruction.
This earthquake stands out as the single largest recorded in 2025 and the most significant since the cataclysmic magnitude 9.1 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
The northwestern Pacific region is historically prone to tectonic disturbances.
The Kamchatka Peninsula sits atop the junction between the Pacific tectonic plate and the North American Plate, contributing to the ongoing seismic activity.
Previously, in July, a sequence of five strong earthquakes struck the sea near Kamchatka, with the largest reaching a magnitude of 7.4 and a depth of 12 miles, located 89 miles from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
A historical context on seismic activity shows that a magnitude 9 quake in Kamchatka on November 4, 1952, resulted in damage but no deaths, despite generating tsunami waves of 30 feet in Hawaii.
A magnitude 8.4 quake impacted the Kamchatka Peninsula’s eastern coast in 1923.
As the situation develops, further updates are anticipated from both local and international authorities.
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