A powerful earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck off Russia’s Far East early Wednesday, triggering a series of tsunami waves that impacted coastal regions of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.
The event has prompted widespread alerts across the Pacific, including parts of the United States, Canada, China, and Mexico.
According to Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA), waves reaching up to 60 centimetres were recorded as the tsunami travelled along the country’s Pacific coast, from Hokkaido to Tokyo Bay.
Authorities have warned that larger waves could still follow and urged residents to remain at higher ground.
A tsunami of 20 cm was detected in Tokyo Bay, while towns like Hamanaka and Kuji Port experienced stronger swells of 60 cm, rising from earlier readings of 40 cm.
In the Russian territories closest to the epicentre, especially the Kamchatka Peninsula, evacuations were underway amid reports of initial damage.
The full extent of the impact in the remote area remains unclear.
Mass evacuations in Japan
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that nearly 2 million people were under evacuation advisories across more than 220 municipalities along the country’s Pacific coast by midday.
One injury was confirmed—an elderly woman in Hokkaido sustained minor injuries while attempting to evacuate and was hospitalized.
Tsunami sirens sound across Pacific rim
In the U.S., the small city of Crescent City in Northern California—home to 6,000 residents and previously devastated by a 1964 tsunami—activated its warning sirens late Tuesday.
Authorities urged residents to stay away from beaches and waterways as waves were projected to arrive just before midnight.
In Hawaii, the threat led to traffic chaos as residents scrambled to evacuate low-lying areas. Long lines formed at gas stations, some of which shut early to allow workers to leave.
Schools and community centres were converted into shelters, and public transit operations were halted after 6 p.m. Honolulu Fire Chief Sheldon Hao urged people to “evacuate early” to avoid emergencies.
“I’ve always tried to be more cautious—better safe than sorry,” said local resident Kale Ai, stuck in gridlock while trying to reach his grandfather’s inland home.
Warnings stretch across the Pacific
China’s Tsunami Warning Centre issued alerts for coastal regions including Shanghai and Zhejiang provinces, forecasting waves between 0.3 to 1 metre.
The advisory comes as the eastern seaboard already braces for Typhoon CoMay, expected to make landfall in Zhejiang on the same day.
Canada’s British Columbia also issued a tsunami advisory. Waves of less than 30 cm were expected to reach Tofino around 11:30 pm, with the first impacts on Langara Island shortly after 10 pm.
Authorities advised local evacuations from marinas, beaches, and ocean-facing areas.
Mexico’s Navy has warned that tsunami waves up to 1 metre could hit the Pacific coast between Ensenada and Chiapas.
The first waves were forecast to reach the northern coast around 2:22 a.m. local time on Wednesday and continue southward throughout the morning.
Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator at the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska, said the waves may not cause significant damage in some areas but will be felt for hours—and possibly more than a day.
Forecasted wave heights in the U.S. range from under 1 foot to about 5 feet, depending on the region.
“A tsunami isn’t a single wave,” Snider emphasised. “It’s a series of powerful waves moving at jet-like speeds across the ocean. When they approach land, they slow down and pile up, leading to dangerous inundation.”
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The U.S. National Weather Service urged people not to approach coastlines to witness the waves, warning that such behaviour puts both lives and rescue operations at risk.
“This will NOT be a single wave,” the agency posted on X. “Do NOT try to take photos at the shore.”
Authorities across the Pacific are on high alert, and officials have warned that the threat could persist through multiple wave cycles.
Tsunami alerts remain active in regions as varied as Alaska, Hawaii, British Columbia, China, and Mexico, with the full impact still unfolding.
