A tsunami hit coastal areas of Russia's Kuril Islands and Japan's large northern island of Hokkaido after a powerful, 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia early Wednesday. Warnings are also in place for Alaska, Hawaii and other coasts south toward New Zealand. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami as high as 60 centimetres (2 feet) had been detected as the waves moved south along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Tokyo Bay. Officials urged caution, saying that bigger waves could come later. Damage and evacuations were reported in the Russian regions nearest the quake's epicentre on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
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Nearly 2 million people are under evacuation advisories in Japan. Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said nearly 2 million residents are now under evacuation advisories in more than 220 municipalities along the Pacific coast as of midday Wednesday. It added that one person was slightly injured on the northern island of Hokkaido when a woman in her 60s fell while rushing to evacuate. She was taken to a hospital.
Tsunami sirens sound in a remote California city.
The small Northern California community of Crescent City turned on its tsunami sirens to warn residents about possible waves. “You are hearing a Tsunami Siren. We are under a Tsunami Warning. Please stay away from beaches and waterways. A predicted wave may hit at 11:55 pm. We are waiting on additional information about any level of evacuation,” read a post from the City Hall Facebook account. The city in rural Northern California has roughly 6,000 residents. A tsunami in 1964 caused by an earthquake in Alaska caused a wave 21 feet (6.4 metres) high to hit the city, killing 11 people and destroying its downtown.
Lines form at Honolulu gas stations.
There were long lines at gas stations near downtown Honolulu, with standstill traffic even in areas away from the shoreline. A Texaco gas station in the Nuuanu-Punchbowl neighbourhood closed early so that workers could go home. The workers set out cones at pumps and turned away motorists. Jimmy Markowski, on a family vacation from Hot Springs, Arkansas, ended up at the closed Texaco station after fleeing their Waikiki beach resort in a caravan of three cars carrying 15 people. “All we're trying to do is just figure out what we're going to do for the next three or four hours,” he said. “We've got water, we've got some snacks ... we're going to stay elevated. This is our first tsunami warning ever. So this is all new to us.” Honolulu resident Kale Ai stopped at the station after spending more than an hour on what would normally be a 12-minute drive from his home near the coast. He was trying to get to his grandfather's house further inland. “I've always tried to be a little bit more cautious because it's better to be safe than sorry,” he said.
Larger swells hit Japan.
A tsunami of 60 centimetres (2 feet) arrived at Hamanaka town on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and Kuji port in Iwate on the main island, up from the earlier tsunami of 40 cm (1.3 ft), according to the JMA. A tsunami of 20 cm (7.9 inches) was detected in the Tokyo Bay, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Shiji Kiyomoto, a JMA earthquake and tsunami response official, said the second or third tsunami waves had arrived. Kiyomoto did not say when tsunami alerts would be lifted, and said high waves may last for at least a day, urging residents to stay at safe places.
Tsunami warning issued for parts of China
China's Ministry of Natural Resources' Tsunami Warning Centre has issued an alert for parts of the country's east coast along Shanghai and Zhejiang provinces. The warning forecasts that waves could reach between 0.3 and 1 metre (1 to 3 feet). Shanghai and Zhejiang are already under alert as Typhoon CoMay is expected to land in the Zhejiang province on Wednesday.
'A series of powerful waves'
Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Centre in Alaska, said Tuesday evening he had not heard of any specific reports of damage from the tsunami generated by the 8.8-magnitude earthquake. Forecasted maximum tsunami heights ranged from less than 1 foot to about 5 feet (less than 30 centimetres to 1.5 metres) across parts of Alaska, Oregon, Washington and California, with higher levels projected in isolated areas. The centre said some places could still be feeling impacts from the tsunami for hours or perhaps more than a day. “A tsunami is not just one wave,” Snider said. “It's a series of powerful waves over a long period of time. Tsunamis cross the ocean at hundreds of miles an hour — as fast as a jet aeroplane — in deep water. But when they get close to the shore, they slow down and start to pile up. And that's where that inundation problem becomes a little bit more possible there.”
Hawaii authorities set up evacuation shelters at schools and community centres.
Honolulu won't operate bus trips scheduled to start after 6 pm local time. Drivers still on routes after that and who are in inundation zones will head to higher ground. “We want everyone to stay safe,” said Honolulu Fire Department Chief Sheldon Hao. ”Evacuate early so you don't put yourself in a tough situation.” The US National Weather Service warns people against going to the coast to look for tsunami waves. “This will NOT be a single wave. Do NOT try to go to the coast to take photos,” the National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area office posted on X. The agency warned that people could put themselves and any rescue teams that may be out at risk. The Bay Area is under a tsunami advisory. Communities further north are under a warning.
Tsunami forecast to hit parts of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
The province's emergency preparedness agency said waves of less than 30 centimetres (less than 1 foot) were expected to reach Tofino around 11:30 pm Tuesday local time. A tsunami advisory spans much of British Columbia's coast, and the agency said “multiple waves over time” were expected. The waves are expected to first reach remote Langara Island around 10:05 pm. The agency said local governments should consider evacuating marinas, beaches and other areas near the ocean.
Mexico's Navy warns the Pacific coast to anticipate tsunami waves.
Mexico's Navy says waves between 30 and 100 centimetres (1 to 3.3 feet) are expected on the Mexican Pacific coast after the tsunami set off by the 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia's Far East. In a report, the Navy's tsunami warning centre said the waves will begin to reach the northern coast in Ensenada, near California, at around 2:22 am Wednesday central time in Mexico, and they will continue south along the Pacific coast until they reach Chiapas state around 7:15 am local time. The Pacific coast remains under a tsunami advisory, and the Navy recommended people stay away from the beaches until it suspends an alert.