An earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter Scale, one of the strongest recorded in recent times, hit Russia’s Far East on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami in the northern Pacific region.
As per the United States Geological Survey, formerly known as the Geological Survey website, the earthquake that struck east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, occurred as the result of shallow reverse faulting.
“At the location of this earthquake, the Pacific plate is moving west-northwest with respect to the North America plate at about 77 mm/yr,” reads the website.
Following the earthquake, tsunami warnings were issued for several nations including the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and Russia.
In the US, a tsunami warning has been issued for the West Coast.
Advisories are also in place for several Pacific US territories, including Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, reported CNN.
Josh Green, the Governor of Hawaii, wrote on X: “The National Weather Service reports that tsunami waves could arrive as early as 7:10 p.m. tonight.”
Tsunami waves
Apart from Russia, several parts of Japan were also hit by tsunami waves.
Japan’s Hokkaido island was one of the first places to experience the tsunami.
The waves measured about 30 to 40 cm (1 to 1.3 feet) – less than the initial forecast of up to 3 metres (9.8 feet). A tidal rise of 1 foot was observed by the volcanic island of Amchitka, Alaska, at around 5:14 p.m., reported CNN.
Stay safe: Donald Trump urges citizens
Alerting US nationals, President Donald Trump wrote on X: “Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii. A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit https://tsunami.gov for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”
Several injured in Russia
According to media reports, several people were injured in the earthquake that rocked Russia.
A tsunami with a wave height of 3-4 metres was recorded in the Yelizovsky district of Kamchatka, near the Vodopadnaya weather station, reported TASS.
According to the news agency, residents were evacuated to the hills after the first wave of the tsunami hit the coastal part of the city of Severo-Kurilsk.
In total, eight earthquakes with a magnitude of over 5 occurred off the coast of Kamchatka within an hour. The tremors occurred at depths ranging from 7 to 100 kilometres, reported TASS.
The latest earthquake is believed to be the strongest recorded globally since the March 2011 tremors that rocked northeast Japan.
The magnitude of that quake was 9.0 on the Richter Scale.
The massive quake had triggered powerful tsunami waves that caused meltdowns at a nuclear power plant.
