8.8 magnitude quake strikes Russia's far East, triggers Tsunami alerts across Pacific - VIDEO
A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday, generating tsunami waves up to 4 metres (13 feet) and prompting widespread evacuation orders across the Pacific region, including Japan, Hawaii, and parts of the U.S. West Coast.
The shallow quake, centred 119 km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 19 km, damaged several buildings and injured multiple people in Russia's remote Far East. Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov described it as "the strongest in decades," News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
⚡A powerful #earthquake measuring up to 8.7 occurred off the coast of #Kamchatka
— News.Az (@news_az) July 30, 2025
It was the strongest since 1952. pic.twitter.com/aWGv2QbmMP
Tsunami waves of 10-13 feet flooded parts of Severo-Kurilsk, sweeping vessels from moorings and damaging a fish processing plant. A kindergarten was also damaged, though Russia’s Emergency Ministry reported no fatalities.
In Japan, tens of thousands were ordered to evacuate coastal towns as tsunami alarms sounded. Workers were temporarily evacuated from the Fukushima nuclear plant, though officials said there were no irregularities. Three tsunami waves, the largest at 60 cm, reached Japan’s coast without causing damage.
Hawaii issued similar evacuation orders, with residents urged to seek higher ground, while the U.S. Coast Guard moved ships out of harbours.
The earthquake is the largest to hit the region since 1952. Multiple strong aftershocks, including one of magnitude 6.9, were recorded.
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