A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday, sending tsunami waves across the Pacific and triggering widespread evacuation orders in Hawaii, parts of the U.S. West Coast, Japan, and several other countries.
The first wave, a 4ft (1.2m) tsunami was recorded off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, prompting Governor Josh Green to urge residents to stay calm but follow all evacuation directives.
Already, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a national alert, warning coastal residents to remain vigilant as more tsunami waves could follow.
Meanwhile, in Japan, authorities there have ordered the evacuation of 1.9 million people, with a tsunami wave of 4.3ft (1.3m) already striking the Iwate prefecture in the north.
The earthquake, among the strongest in recent decades, has also prompted tsunami alerts in China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Guam, Peru, and the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador. Each nation is monitoring the situation closely as aftershocks and additional waves remain a serious threat.
Emergency response agencies across the Pacific are on high alert, coordinating shelter and aid for displaced residents as the full scope of the disaster unfolds. No casualties have been officially confirmed yet, but officials warn that the risk of damage and further waves remains high.
