A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami warnings and advisories across the Pacific region. While Hawaii and Japan have downgraded their alerts, Chile has upgraded its warning to the highest level, ordering coastal evacuations. A 4-metre wave warning remains in effect for French Polynesia.
In Hawaii, 1.2-meter waves were observed and evacuation zones are now declared safe. In Japan, one person died after 1.3-meter waves hit the shore. Near the epicentre, waves reached up to 4 meters, flooding a Russian town, though no injuries have been reported.
The quake caused building damage and power outages in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (pop. 180,000), with strong aftershocks continuing. This is the strongest quake in Kamchatka since 1952, and globally the strongest since Japan’s 2011 disaster.
Officials urge continued caution, especially in coastal regions of the Philippines, where 1-meter waves are possible. Experts warn of aftershocks lasting up to a month, reinforcing the need for vigilance near vulnerable coastlines.
