A powerful earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck off the Russian coast, generating tsunami waves that have impacted several countries, including Russia, Japan, and the United States.
The earthquake occurred approximately 136 kilometers (85 miles) east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia’s far east, leading to widespread tsunami alerts across numerous regions in Latin America, Asia, and the Pacific.
In response to the threat, authorities in states like Hawaii and Japan have begun to downgrade their tsunami warnings, suggesting that the immediate danger is reducing in certain areas.
The tsunami warning that initially resulted in the evacuation of a flooded seaport town on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands has since been canceled, although Russian authorities have cautioned that there is still a risk of large waves.
Additionally, the Klyuchevskoy volcano in Kamchatka erupted, presenting further concerns amidst the seismic activity.
Residents across various coastal areas from the Pacific, Asian, and Latin American regions remain vigilant for potential tsunami waves, a consequence of what is being characterized as one of the largest earthquakes on record.
In French Polynesia’s Marquesas Islands, tsunami waves have already been reported, with expected heights reaching between 1.1 to 2.5 meters (3.6 to 8.2 feet).
Residents have been urged to seek safety in elevated areas or move far offshore until the official alerts are lifted.
The US Tsunami Warning Center issued warnings of waves potentially reaching up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) in Ecuador, with 1-3 meter (3.3-9.8 ft) waves being considered a possibility for Hawaii, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Japan, and several other Pacific islands.
In Ecuador, preventative evacuations were ordered for the Galapagos Islands and other vulnerable low-lying areas to mitigate the risk of tsunami-related incidents.
Chile’s disaster agency, SENAPRED, declared a red alert for coastal municipalities stretching from Arica and Parinacota in the north to Magallanes in the south, emphasizing the potential threat that the tsunami poses.
Professor Nathan Bangs from the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics explained that the global ramifications are tied to the earthquake occurring in a subduction zone—an area known for generating large tsunamis.
He likened this event to other substantial tsunami-generating earthquakes in history, such as those in Sumatra in 2004 and Tohoku in 2011.
Initially, the US National Weather Service issued tsunami warnings for Hawaii, the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, and parts of California.
Less severe tsunami advisories were announced for parts of Washington and Oregon, while a general tsunami watch was implemented for the entire US West Coast.
Subsequently, the threat level for Alaska and Hawaii was downgraded from a warning to an advisory, allowing evacuees to return home, as Hawaii appeared to have dodged a significant tsunami but did report a surge of at least a meter.
Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from Kuala Lumpur, informed that the island of Guam and the northern Mariana Islands have also lifted their alert warnings, indicating they avoided substantial impacts.
The tsunami waves reached San Francisco, California, at 1:12 AM (08:12 GMT), progressing further down the coast.
A tsunami warning remains active for coastal areas from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon/California border, while advisories are in effect from the California-Mexico border up to Cape Mendocino, including the San Francisco Bay area.
In light of these developments, President Donald Trump urged residents in Hawaii, Alaska, and along the Pacific coast to heed the tsunami advisories in place.
He conveyed his support through a message on social media, advising everyone to ‘STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!’
Japanese authorities estimated that waves could reach up to 3 meters (9.8 ft) in some coastal zones, leading them to issue evacuation orders for those residing in coastal and riverine regions.
Initial reports from Hokkaido indicated the arrival of the first waves, approximately 30 centimeters (1 ft) high, on Wednesday morning.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called on the public to evacuate from threatened areas, and while there were no reports of injuries or damage from Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency, warnings remained active for regions like Hokkaido and Tohoku.
Describing the earthquake as the strongest in decades, Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov stated the severity of the tremor on a video shared via Telegram.
Health Minister Oleg Melnikov, communicating with TASS, confirmed that several injuries resulted from the earthquake, though none were serious.
Tsunami expert Robert Weiss from Virginia Tech raised concerns over the potential destructive capabilities of the waves, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation by stating, ‘Three meters is pretty destructive.’
image source from：aljazeera
