8.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Russia; tsunami alerts issued for Japan, US
What's the story
An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami alert in Japan and a warning for Hawaii and parts of Alaska. The quake was initially recorded at a magnitude of 8.0 by Japan's meteorological agency but was later revised to 8.8 by the US Geological Survey (USGS). A tsunami advsiroy has also been issued for areas of Alaska and the whole West Coast, which stretches from British Columbia to the California-Mexico border.
Tsunami warning
Tsunami waves expected to hit Hawaii soon
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has warned that waves between one to three meters could hit coastal areas in Hawaii, Chile, Japan, and the Solomon Islands. The National Weather Service has warned of possible damage along Hawaii's coastlines; the first wave is expected to reach around 7:17pm local time. "The danger can continue for...hours after an initial wave as subsequent waves arrive," the NWS said, cautioning that "tsunami heights cannot be predicted and first wave may not be the largest."
Advisory issued
Japan issues tsunami advisory; task force formed
Japan has also issued a tsunami advisory for eastern Hokkaido, predicting the first wave to arrive about 90 minutes after the quake. The Japanese government has formed a task force for emergency response. In Russia, residents near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky felt strong tremors with reports of power outages and mobile service failures. Cabinets toppled inside homes, mirrors shattered, cars trembled on the street, and building balconies rocked dramatically. TASS reported power outages and mobile phone service problems in Kamchatka's capital.
Recent quakes
Second major quake in July
This is the second major earthquake to hit Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula this month. Earlier, five strong earthquakes, including one of magnitude 7.4, had rattled the region. On November 4, 1952, a magnitude 9.0 quake in Kamchatka caused damage but no fatalities despite generating waves of up to 30 feet in Hawaii.