A massive undersea earthquake struck off Russia’s eastern coast early Wednesday, triggering widespread tsunami alerts across the Pacific region, including the U.S. West Coast, Hawaii, and Alaska, and raising alarm in multiple countries vulnerable to coastal impact.
The quake, one of the largest ever recorded in the area, registered a magnitude of 8.7 on the Richter scale, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Its epicenter was located in the Sea of Okhotsk, near the Kamchatka Peninsula, at a depth of around 30 kilometers.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) quickly issued alerts for at least 12 countries, including Russia, the United States, Japan, Canada, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, Taiwan, New Zealand, and several Pacific Island nations. Coastal regions in these countries were advised to evacuate low-lying areas, as authorities warned of potentially dangerous waves reaching up to 3 meters (10 feet) in some locations.
Tsunami sirens were activated across coastal Alaska and Hawaii shortly after the quake. In California and Washington state, emergency services began precautionary evacuations in some beach communities. The U.S. National Weather Service warned residents along the Pacific coastline to remain vigilant, though no immediate reports of damage or casualties were confirmed.
Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed that tremors were strongly felt in the Kamchatka and Sakhalin regions, but local authorities reported no major infrastructure damage so far. However, aftershocks are expected.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency also issued tsunami advisories along its eastern coast, while Philippine and Indonesian authorities placed their coastlines on red alert.
Seismologists say the quake occurred along the seismically active “Ring of Fire,” a notorious zone known for some of the world’s most devastating earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
International coordination is now underway among emergency agencies, with tsunami monitoring systems on high alert as the situation develops. Authorities are urging the public to follow official guidance and stay away from the coastlines.
This is a developing story. Updates to follow as more information becomes available.
