A massive 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s Far East early Wednesday, prompting tsunami warnings across the Pacific region, including parts of Japan, Alaska, and Hawaii.
The quake, centered off the Kamchatka Peninsula, caused damage in nearby Russian towns, with reports of power outages, evacuations, and buildings shaking in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the region's largest city, according to the Associated Press.
Japan's Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami alert for the country's northern Pacific coast, warning of waves up to three meters. The quake, initially measured at 8.0, was later revised to 8.7 by Japan and US agencies. It struck at a depth of 19.3 kilometers and about 250 kilometers from Hokkaido.
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed a tsunami had been generated, warning of potential coastal damage across all Hawaiian islands. “Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,” the alert read.
In Alaska, the National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for the Aleutian Islands and advisories extending to parts of the West Coast, including California, Oregon, and Washington.
The event follows a series of powerful undersea quakes near Kamchatka earlier in July, one of which registered a magnitude of 7.4.