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Evacuation orders have been issued for large parts of the US West Coast, with authorities ordering people to "take action now" and get away from the sea.
Tsunamis are triggered by underwater earthquakes, which cause the seafloor to rise and drop, lifting water up and down. The energy from this pushes huge volumes of sea water that transfers to waves. While many people think of a tsunami as one big wave, in reality they are typically multiple waves that rush ashore like a fast-rising tide.
Tsunami waves as high as 5 metres hit coastal areas of the disputed Kuril Islands shortly after the earthquake, while Japanese authorities recorded tsunami waves of around 40cm in 16 locations off the coast of Hokkaido. More than 900,000 people across Japan's eastern seaboard were asked to evacuate.
Tsunami warnings are also in place for parts of China, Canada and other coasts south toward New Zealand.
Pictured: People gather supplies in Hawaii
Athena Stavrou30 July 2025 08:23
Tsunami sirens sound in 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 11.55pm [local time]. 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 21ft high to hit the city, killing 11 people and destroying its downtown.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 08:07
No wave of consequence so far, says Hawaii governor
Hawaii governor Josh Green says tsunami waves are yet to be recorded past Big Island and that there has not yet been a wave of major consequence.
All commercial harbours have been shut and all flights scheduled to depart or arrive at Maui airport have been cancelled, he said.
He added that airports have not yet been impacted by the waves.
The governor said data from Midway Atoll, which is between Japan and Hawaii, measured waves from peak to trough of 6ft.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 08:02
Watch: Moment massive earthquake hits Russia caught on camera
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 07:59
Powerful 5m-tsunami wave lashes Russian coast
The height of tsunami waves in the Russian Pacific town of Severo-Kurilsk exceeded three metres, and the most powerful was as big as five metres, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency reported on Wednesday.
Tsunami warnings were issued across the Pacific coast after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake jolted Russia's far east during the early hours of Wednesday.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 07:47
Breaking: Tsunami waves 'now impacting Hawaii'
The tsunami waves have begun "impacting Hawaii", the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. "Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property," it added.
The Hanalei gauge in Hawaii recorded a tsunami amplitude of 3ft relative to normal sea level, the warning centre said.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 07:29
How bad is an 8.8 earthquake?
A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday, making it the sixth strongest ever recorded and the biggest since the 2011 quake that hit Japan.
The US Geological survey said the earthquake was shallow, with its epicentre at a depth of about 19km (12 miles) and 119 km (74 miles) east-southeast of Russia’s remote Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city with a population of about 165,000 people.
The devastation to life and property caused by an earthquake is often dependent on a number of factors, such as the distance from the quake’s epicentre, the architecture of a region and its population density, as well as the depth of the earthquake event and its surrounding geological conditions, as well as after effects like tsunamis.
More here.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 07:15
Tsunami advisory issued for British Columbia coast
A tsunami advisory has been issued for most of the British Columbia coast after a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Russia's Kamchatka peninsula.
The US National Tsunami Warning Centre issued a tsunami advisory for north and central coasts of British Columbia, including Kitimat and Bella Coola, Haida Gwaii and the west and northeast coasts of Vancouver Island.
"Significant inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory, but coastal zones may be at risk due to strong current," Canadian authorities said in an advisory.
"Strong and potentially dangerous waves and currents are possible. Waves may continue for several hours," the advisory read.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 07:12
Hawaii governor says waves recorded at 6ft
Hawaii governor Josh Green said data from Midway Atoll, which is part of the way between Japan and Hawaii, measured tsunami waves at 6ft.
He said waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller and it was too early to tell how large they would be.
"It can dislodge trees, that's why you can't just be out there. The impact is at great speed," Mr Green said.
"Any structure that gets loose and strikes the individual could take them out. And people can drown quite easily with the force of that kind of wave."
Rick Blangiardi, the mayor of Honolulu, urged residents to move to higher ground.
“We need people to stay calm but also to act accordingly. If you can get to higher ground if you’re in a low-lying area, please do that,” he told KITV.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 07:02
Power grid damaged in Russia's Sakhalin
A power grid has been damaged in Sakhalin as a result of the earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula, and electricity has been shut off, according to preliminary information, Russia's RIA news agency cited the regional governor as saying on Wednesday.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2025 06:43
