![SURGING: A powerful tsunami wave washes past a building located near the shore in Severo-Kurilsk, Sakhalin Region, Russia, on 30 July 2025. Photo:Reuters]](https://cdn.nmh.com.na:2083/S3Server/mynamibia-eu/nmhwebimages/2025/7/31/20250731452553.jpg)
Tsunamis strike parts of Russia, Japan, Hawaii after massive Russia quake
Waves up to 4 metres (13 feet) high have already struck Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka region, said Sergei Lebedev, the regional minister for emergency situations, following the 8.8-magnitude quake, one of the largest on record.
Tsunami waves have hit parts of Russia, Japan and Hawaii in the United States after a massive earthquake off the Russian coast, with alerts issued for dozens of other countries, including the Philippines and Ecuador.
Potentially hazardous waves were expected in parts of the US, much of coastal Latin America and numerous Asian and Pacific island states later on Wednesday.
Waves up to 4 metres (13 feet) high have already struck Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka region, said Sergei Lebedev, the regional minister for emergency situations, following the 8.8-magnitude quake, one of the largest on record.
The height of tsunami waves in the Russian Pacific town of Severo-Kurilsk exceeded three metres (9.8ft), and the most powerful was as big as five metres (16.4ft), Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reported on Wednesday, citing emergency services. Severo-Kurilsk, a seaport town in the Sakhalin region in the northern Kuril Islands, was flooded, forcing the evacuation of its 2,000 residents, Russia’s Ministry of Emergencies and Disaster Relief said.
Crisis meeting
Videos posted on Russian social media showed buildings in the town submerged in water, as authorities declared a state of emergency throughout the North Kuril District. District Mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov said there had been enough time to evacuate everyone on the affected islands. “All the people are in the tsunami safety zone,” he said at a crisis meeting.
‘Potential to generate large tsunamis’
The US Tsunami Warning Centers said waves as high as 3 metres (9.8ft) could hit Ecuador and Russia, while waves of 1 to 3 metres (3.3-9.8ft) were possible in Hawaii, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Japan and some Pacific islands.
“This is a subduction zone setting that has the potential to generate large tsunamis,” Nathan Bangs, a research professor at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, told Al Jazeera. “It is similar to other settings that have generated large tsunamis in recent years that followed earthquakes, such as Sumatra in 2004 and Tohoku in 2011.”
The US National Weather Service issued tsunami “warnings” for the state of Hawaii, Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and parts of California, as well as lower-level tsunami advisories for parts of Washington and Oregon, with waves expected to arrive from the late afternoon on Wednesday.
A less serious tsunami watch was in place for the entire US West Coast.
Evacuations
The Honolulu Department of Emergency Management in Hawaii urged the evacuation of residents from some coastal areas.
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“Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,” the agency said on X, hours before the The US National Weather Service reported the first tsunami waves were impacting the state.
Hawaii’s Department of Transportation said that commercial flights had been suspended at Hilo International Airport to facilitate evacuations.
Social media users shared images of reported bumper-to-bumper traffic in Honolulu and other urban areas as residents fled for higher ground.
'Tsunamis can strike repeatedly’
US President Donald Trump urged residents in Hawaii, Alaska, and along the Pacific Coast to pay attention to tsunami-related advisories.
Japanese authorities said they expected waves as high as 3 metres (9.8 ft) to hit some coastal areas.
“People in coastal areas or along rivers should immediately evacuate to safe places such as high ground or evacuation buildings,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said in a statement.
“Tsunamis can strike repeatedly. Do not leave the safe location until the warning is lifted.”
Footage posted on social media showed residents of some Japanese coastal communities moving to higher ground.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba urged the public to evacuate from affected areas.
Japanese media reported the arrival of the first waves, measuring about 30cm (1ft) high, on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Wednesday morning.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency did not report any damage or injuries.
Potentially hazardous waves were expected in parts of the US, much of coastal Latin America and numerous Asian and Pacific island states later on Wednesday.
Waves up to 4 metres (13 feet) high have already struck Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka region, said Sergei Lebedev, the regional minister for emergency situations, following the 8.8-magnitude quake, one of the largest on record.
The height of tsunami waves in the Russian Pacific town of Severo-Kurilsk exceeded three metres (9.8ft), and the most powerful was as big as five metres (16.4ft), Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reported on Wednesday, citing emergency services. Severo-Kurilsk, a seaport town in the Sakhalin region in the northern Kuril Islands, was flooded, forcing the evacuation of its 2,000 residents, Russia’s Ministry of Emergencies and Disaster Relief said.
Crisis meeting
Videos posted on Russian social media showed buildings in the town submerged in water, as authorities declared a state of emergency throughout the North Kuril District. District Mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov said there had been enough time to evacuate everyone on the affected islands. “All the people are in the tsunami safety zone,” he said at a crisis meeting.
‘Potential to generate large tsunamis’
The US Tsunami Warning Centers said waves as high as 3 metres (9.8ft) could hit Ecuador and Russia, while waves of 1 to 3 metres (3.3-9.8ft) were possible in Hawaii, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Japan and some Pacific islands.
“This is a subduction zone setting that has the potential to generate large tsunamis,” Nathan Bangs, a research professor at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, told Al Jazeera. “It is similar to other settings that have generated large tsunamis in recent years that followed earthquakes, such as Sumatra in 2004 and Tohoku in 2011.”
The US National Weather Service issued tsunami “warnings” for the state of Hawaii, Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and parts of California, as well as lower-level tsunami advisories for parts of Washington and Oregon, with waves expected to arrive from the late afternoon on Wednesday.
A less serious tsunami watch was in place for the entire US West Coast.
Evacuations
The Honolulu Department of Emergency Management in Hawaii urged the evacuation of residents from some coastal areas.
US politics, Canada’s multiculturalism, South America’s geopolitical rise—we bring you the stories that matter.
“Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,” the agency said on X, hours before the The US National Weather Service reported the first tsunami waves were impacting the state.
Hawaii’s Department of Transportation said that commercial flights had been suspended at Hilo International Airport to facilitate evacuations.
Social media users shared images of reported bumper-to-bumper traffic in Honolulu and other urban areas as residents fled for higher ground.
'Tsunamis can strike repeatedly’
US President Donald Trump urged residents in Hawaii, Alaska, and along the Pacific Coast to pay attention to tsunami-related advisories.
Japanese authorities said they expected waves as high as 3 metres (9.8 ft) to hit some coastal areas.
“People in coastal areas or along rivers should immediately evacuate to safe places such as high ground or evacuation buildings,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said in a statement.
“Tsunamis can strike repeatedly. Do not leave the safe location until the warning is lifted.”
Footage posted on social media showed residents of some Japanese coastal communities moving to higher ground.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba urged the public to evacuate from affected areas.
Japanese media reported the arrival of the first waves, measuring about 30cm (1ft) high, on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Wednesday morning.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency did not report any damage or injuries.
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