Tsunami updates: 8.8 magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami high alert in Russia, Japan, check updates

Tsunami waves 3-4 meters high were recorded in the Yelizovo district of Kamchatka. Partial flooding was reported in the port and a fish processing plant in Severo-Kurilsk, Sakhalin Oblast.

A powerful earthquake of 8.8 magnitude that struck near the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East in the early hours of Wednesday has created a scene of devastation. Tsunami waves have hit the coastal areas of Japan and Russia, causing massive damage. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), this earthquake is one of the six largest earthquakes ever recorded. Its epicenter was about 125 kilometers east-southeast of the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and at a depth of 19 kilometers below the seabed.

A tsunami alert was issued in many parts of Japan and Russia soon after the earthquake struck. Japan’s national broadcaster NHK warned that more big waves could come. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said waves up to three meters high could rise in northern and eastern regions, especially from Hokkaido to Wakayama (near Osaka).

Wreaked havoc in coastal areas

According to Japan’s BNO News, four whales were washed ashore on the coast of Japan, which has also affected marine life. According to news agency Reuters, tsunami waves were up to 4 meters high in some places, causing damage to ports and coastal buildings. In the video going viral on social media, buildings were seen submerged in coastal areas of Russia.

Homes evacuated in areas

Massive evacuation took place in coastal areas of both Russia and Japan. Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video message, “Today’s earthquake was the strongest in decades.” Russia’s emergency department ordered people to evacuate in towns such as Severo-Kurilsk, located in the south of Kamchatka.

Alert in many countries including America

US officials have also put Guam and other Micronesian islands under tsunami watch. US President Donald Trump appealed to people to “stay safe” on his social media platform Truth Social, writing, “Due to a major earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, a tsunami warning has been issued in Hawaii. Tsunami watch is also in place for Alaska and the west coast of America. Japan is also in its grip. Please visit tsunami.gov for the latest information. Stay strong, stay safe!”

A tsunami warning was issued in Alaska and Hawaii of America and south of New Zealand. This natural disaster has caused heavy damage to Russian ports, many people have been injured and there have been reports of whales drifting to the coast of Japan. The earthquake and the tsunami that followed it created a stir in many countries of the Pacific Ocean.

Tsunami warning sirens started ringing in Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii in the US, on Tuesday and people were asked to go to high places. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the first tsunami wave, about 30 centimetres high, reached Nemuro on the east coast of Hokkaido.

Tsunami in Russia

Tsunami waves 3-4 meters high were recorded in the Yelizovo district of Kamchatka. Partial flooding was reported at the port and a fish processing plant in Severo-Kurilsk in Sakhalin Oblast. Local governor Valery Limarenko said residents had been moved to safer places and would remain in high ground until the danger passed.

Tsunami in Japan

The first tsunami wave on the Nemuro coast of Hokkaido, Japan was 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) high, while a 50-cm wave was recorded in Ishinomaki. The Japan Meteorological Agency had warned of waves up to 3 meters high. More than 9 lakh people were ordered to evacuate in 133 municipalities on the east coast, including Hokkaido and Tohoku regions.

What is the warning?

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves one to three meters above the high tide level are expected in some coastal areas of Hawaii, Chile, Japan and the Solomon Islands. Waves higher than three meters are expected in some coastal areas of Russia and Ecuador. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the earthquake has triggered a tsunami that is expected to cause damage in coastal areas of all Hawaiian Islands. The warning said, “Immediate action should be taken to protect life and property.”

The intensity of the earthquake was very high

Japanese and American seismologists said that the initial magnitude of the earthquake that struck at 8:25 am Japanese time was 8.0. The US Geological Survey (USGS) later said that the magnitude was 8.8 and it occurred at a depth of 20.7 kilometers. The earthquake occurred about 119 kilometers from the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The population of this city is 1,80,000. Russian news agency ‘TASS’ reported from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the largest city near the epicenter of the earthquake, that many people came out on the streets without wearing shoes and proper clothes. Inside the houses, shelves fell, glass broke, buildings and cars started shaking violently.

TASS also reported a power outage and mobile phone service disruption in the capital of the Kamchatka region. It quoted a local Russian official as saying that residents of Sakhalin Island were being evacuated and emergency services were working at full capacity.

The National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska, US, has issued a tsunami warning for parts of the Alaska Aleutian Islands and advised vigilance in parts of the west coast including California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. This warning also includes a large part of Alaska’s coastline.

This earthquake appears to be the most powerful earthquake in the world after the March 2011 earthquake. The March 2011 earthquake in northeastern Japan measured 9.0 and caused a massive tsunami. This tsunami disabled the cooling systems of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

New Zealand authorities have warned of “strong, unusual and unexpectedly high waves” in coastal areas across the country. The alert issued by the government emergency management agency said people were advised to stay away from water, beaches and coastal areas.

New Zealand is located in the South Pacific Ocean and is about 6,000 miles from the epicenter. Earlier in July, five powerful earthquakes struck the ocean near Kamchatka, the most powerful of which was a 7.4 magnitude quake. Kamchatka was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake on Nov. 4, 1952, which caused heavy damage.

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