8.8 earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka prompts pacific-wide Tsunami alerts
Shafaq News – Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami up to 4 meters high and prompting widespread alerts and evacuations across the Pacific region.
Russian authorities reported injuries and damage in Kamchatka, where waves inundated parts of the coastline. The regional government declared a state of emergency in the northern Kuril Islands after footage of a tsunami circulating showed waves sweeping through a port town.
“This was the strongest earthquake in decades,” said Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov in a video statement, urging residents to stay away from coastal areas.
The US Geological Survey reported that the quake was shallow, occurring at a depth of 19.3 kilometers, and was centered roughly 119 kilometers southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of approximately 165,000 people. A strong 6.9-magnitude aftershock followed soon after. The initial quake’s magnitude was later upgraded from 8.0 to 8.8.
Pacific-Wide Tsunami Alerts
Tsunami waves between 3 and 4 meters were recorded in parts of Kamchatka, according to Sergei Lebedev, regional minister for emergencies. Authorities in Russia and across the Pacific issued urgent warnings as seismic waves traveled across the ocean.
Japan, which remains deeply scarred by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed over 18,000 people, activated evacuation orders for large sections of its eastern coastline. Alarms sounded in numerous towns along the Pacific coast, with residents told to move to higher ground immediately.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that waves up to 3 meters could reach much of its coast and said the danger could persist for more than a day. Waves of up to 50 centimeters were already recorded along parts of northern and eastern Japan, and authorities cautioned that additional surges could coincide with high tide and cause further flooding.
“Tsunamis are still being observed,” the agency stated, warning that the waves could strike suddenly and grow stronger when aligned with tidal peaks.
In a precautionary measure, staff at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were evacuated, though no abnormalities were reported at the facility, according to its operator, TEPCO. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that no injuries or major damage had been reported so far.
#BREAKING NEWS: Japan tsunami warning issued after M8.0 quake off Kamchatka Peninsula#Japan #TsunamiWarning #earthquake https://t.co/VkMKSpHUgT pic.twitter.com/8TS3Lo9a4S
— Kyodo News | Japan (@kyodo_english) July 30, 2025
Regional and Global Response
The US Tsunami Warning System issued alerts for potentially hazardous waves within three hours of the quake. It is estimated that waves exceeding 3 meters could hit parts of Russia and Ecuador, while waves between 1 and 3 meters were possible in Japan, Hawaii, Chile, and the Solomon Islands. Smaller surges could affect the US West Coast and other Pacific shorelines.
China’s Tsunami Advisory Center also issued a warning, anticipating waves between 30 centimeters and 1 meter along its eastern coast. The Ministry of Natural Resources indicated that the tsunami could cause damage to some coastal regions.
Elsewhere, the Philippines and Indonesia issued advisories urging residents to avoid beaches and coastal areas. While these countries expected smaller waves, officials stressed the unpredictable nature of tsunami activity.
