One of the world's most powerful earthquakes struck Russia's Far East on Wednesday, with a magnitude 8.8 tremor triggering a tsunami in the North Pacific and prompting warnings for Alaska, Hawaii and as far south as New Zealand.
A tsunami hit the coastlines of Russia's Kuril Islands and Japan's large northern island of Hokkaido after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck early Wednesday.
In many places, people were advised to move to higher ground, but in areas where the tsunami had already hit, no significant damage was reported.
Waves less than 30 centimeters above high tide were observed in the Amchitka and Adak areas of Alaska, said Dave Snyder, tsunami warning coordinator for the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami of 60 centimeters was recorded in Hamanaka on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and the port of Kuji in Iwate Prefecture on the main island, exceeding previous records of 40 centimeters.
The spokesman said a second or third tsunami wave was expected, adding that high waves could continue for at least a day.
Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said there were no casualties or damage reported and issued an evacuation advisory for more than 900,000 people along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
Governor Valery Limarenko reported that the first wave of the tsunami hit the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk, the main settlement on Russia's Kuril Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
He added that residents are safe and remain at altitude until the threat of a second wave has passed.
There are reports of destruction and evacuations in Russian regions closer to the earthquake's epicenter on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves of one to three meters above sea level were expected along the coasts of Hawaii, Chile, Japan and the Solomon Islands. Waves higher than three meters could reach the coasts of Russia and Ecuador.
The center noted that a tsunami could cause damage to the coast of all Hawaiian Islands.
“It is necessary to take prompt action to protect lives and property,” the notice said.
Cars are gone
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
