8.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Kamchatka: tsunami warning in the Pacific

Evacuations in Russia, Japan, China, the United States and South America. Waves expected to reach up to three metres: the strongest earthquake since the Fukushima disaster

A violent earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale was recorded today, Wednesday 30 July, off the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Bering Sea, at a depth of about 20 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake, one of the strongest in recent decades, has led several countries to issue a tsunami warning. It is the most powerful worldwide since the Fukushima disaster in 2011, and only five earthquakes in the history of measurements exceed it in intensity.

In Russia, in the Kamchatka region, the population of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky took to the streets after the power and telephone networks were cut off. In Sakhalin, the authorities evacuated coastal areas. The local health official, Oleg Melnikov, reported that there were some minor injuries, without specifying the number.

In Japan, the meteorological agency issued a warning for waves of up to 3 metres along the Pacific coast. Public television station NHK reported the arrival of 40-centimetre waves in the northern prefectures of Hokkaido and Aomori, with no problems for nuclear power plants. China also issued an alert along its east coast, predicting damage in some coastal areas, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Tsunami Prevention Centre.

In the United States, the National Tsunami Warning Centre issued a warning for Hawaii, with waves expected to reach up to 3 metres. Residents were advised to evacuate or seek shelter in buildings at least 10 storeys high. An alert was also issued for the west coast of Alaska, while the Philippines and Indonesia are preparing for possible impacts on their coasts.

In the South Pacific, Peru has also activated an alert along its entire coastline, according to the Navy’s Hydrography and Navigation Directorate. In Ecuador, the alert particularly concerns the Galapagos Islands, where beaches and piers have been evacuated and maritime activities suspended.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)