Aftershocks From 8.8-Magnitude Quake Rattle North Pacific
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Tsunami Warning Live Updates, Hawaii, Russia Japan: Waves Reach US, Nuclear Body Says Power Plants Safe
A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula around 11:25 AM local time on Wednesday. The quake triggered a tsunami with waves as high as 3 to 4 meters (10–13 feet) along parts of KamchatKA. Japan’s Hokkaido has already seen initial tsunami waves of about 30 cm (12 inches), with warnings that larger waves may follow. A tsunami watch alert has been issued for the entire western coastline of the United States. Indonesia and the Philippines have also issued tsunami warnings in response to the quake. Thousands of residents in low-lying coastal areas are evacuating inland to higher ground.
The quake triggered a tsunami with waves as high as 3 to 4 meters (10–13 feet) along parts of Kamchatka.
Japan’s Hokkaido has already seen initial tsunami waves of about 30 cm (12 inches), with warnings that larger waves may follow.
Tsunami warnings have been issued by US authorities for Alaska and Hawaii.
A tsunami watch is also active for Guam and Micronesia.
Evacuations in Japan and US as major earthquake off Russia triggers widespread tsunami warnings
A tsunami hit coastal areas of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido early Wednesday, after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s eastern coast. Waves also reached the remote coastal town of Severo-Kurilsk in Russia’s Sakhalin region.A tsunami watch alert has been issued for the entire western coastline of the United States. The US Tsunami Warning Center and the National Weather Service confirmed the tsunami watch extends from the California-Mexico border all the way to Chignik Bay, Alaska.The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that a tsunami wave around 30 cm (approximately 1 foot) high reached Nemuro, located on the eastern coast of Hokkaido. Meanwhile, a similar wave struck Severo-Kurilsk, the main town in Russia’s Kuril Islands, according to local governor Valery Limarenko. He confirmed that residents were safe and sheltering on higher ground until the danger had passed. Indonesia and the Philippines have also issued tsunami warnings in response to the quake.A powerful undersea earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday, setting off a series of seismic aftershocks across the region. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the initial quake struck at a depth of 74 kilometres below the ocean floor. Its impact was strongly felt in Severo-Kurilsk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and several surrounding settlements across Sakhalin.Tsunamis are large ocean waves generated by sudden vertical shifts in the seafloor, often due to powerful earthquakes along shallow faults or massive underwater landslides. As these waves approach coastal areas and enter shallower waters, they grow significantly in height, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).The earliest tsunami wave is expected to hit Hawaii at around 7:17 PM local time — 10:47 IST, with officials specifically noting a 7:10 PM – 10:40 IST – arrival in Hanalei, Kauai. Thousands of residents in low-lying coastal areas are evacuating inland to higher ground.Donald Trump urged people to “STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE” and to monitor updates on the tsunami.gov online dashboard.One person died in Japan as tsunami waves measured 1.3 m hit the shore, reported Japan Times. However, the waves were weaker than feared, and the tsunami warning there has also been downgraded.
Tsunami Warning Lifted in Kamchatka After Russia’s 8.8 Magnitude Earthquake
The tsunami warning has been lifted in the Kamchatka region of Russia after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake. An assessment commission has inspected several buildings after the earthquake and did not find any significant damage. A tsunami warning remains in effect for parts of the northern California coast, United States. Most of the North Pacific coastal areas, spanning from British Columbia in Canada to the US West Coast and Mexico, are on tsunami alert.
“To the respected residents and guests in the Kamchatka region, our colleagues from the Operational Geostationary Meteorological Satellite have lifted the tsunami warning,” Lebedev said in a video statement published on the local government’s Telegram channel.
Furthermore, an assessment commission has inspected several buildings after the earthquake hit Kamchatka and did not find any significant damage, as conveyed by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations to RIA Novosti.
An emergency situation has also been lifted in the Severo-Kurilsky District, stated the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Sakhalin branch to RIA Novosti on the same day.
However, as reported by NDTV, additional aftershocks may occur, putting the entire Pacific Rim on tsunami alert. A tsunami warning remains in effect for parts of the northern California coast, United States.
Most of the North Pacific coastal areas, spanning from British Columbia in Canada to the US West Coast and Mexico, are on tsunami alert.
In Hawaii, emergency authorities have issued alerts to residents’ cellphones, on TV and radio, as well as sounding the siren network. In Alaska, some communities have sirens, and information is available on weather radios or public radio broadcasts.
Earlier on the same day, a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Kamchatka, making it the strongest earthquake in the region since 1952.
The Sakhalin Regional Government later declared a state of emergency in the Severo-Kurilsky District following the earthquake and tsunami.
Editor’s Choice: Expert Says Russia’s Earthquake History Similar to Indonesia’s
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Huge quake in Russia triggers tsunami warnings around Pacific
8.8 magnitude quake strikes near city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Tsunami of 3-5 metres recorded in Kamchatka Peninsula. waves reach French Polynesia but smaller than feared.Warnings issued, then downgraded in Japan, Hawaii and Russia. Galapagos Islands order evacuations as tsunami warnings rock Pacific. Islands. But a tsunami advisory was cancelled for British Columbia as well as coastal areas south of Alaska. In the early morning hours, waves hit some islands in the French Polynesian. islands. A quake of magnitude 6.07 later struck the Kuril Islands that lie between Kam chatka and northern Japan. The quake was shallow, at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and centred 119 km (74 miles) east-southeast of Petrovsky, a city of 165,000. The most powerful to hit the region since 1952, scientists said the quake was the most powerful ever recorded in the region.
Companies 8.8 magnitude quake strikes near city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Tsunami of 3-5 metres recorded in Kamchatka Peninsula
Tsunami waves reach French Polynesia but smaller than feared
Warnings issued, then downgraded in Japan, Hawaii
Galapagos Islands order evacuations as tsunami warnings rock Pacific
July 30 (Reuters) – A very powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka coast on Wednesday triggered tsunami warnings as far away as French Polynesia and Chile, and was followed by an eruption of the most active volcano on the peninsula.
The shallow quake damaged buildings and injured several people in the remote Russian region, while much of Japan’s eastern seaboard – devastated by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2011 – was ordered to evacuate, as were parts of Hawaii.
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By the evening, Japan, Hawaii and Russia had downgraded most tsunami warnings. But authorities in French Polynesia warned residents of several of the remote Marquesas Islands to move to higher ground and expect waves as high as 2.5 metres (8 feet).
Tsunami waves began hitting the Marquesas on Wednesday but were forecast to be smaller than initially feared, local authorities said.
Some initial wave surges were reported on Nuku Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas, about 1,400 km northeast of Tahiti, and between five to 10 additional waves were expected in the coming hours, the high commission said.
Russian scientists said the quake in Kamchatka was the most powerful to hit the region since 1952. The U.S. Geological Survey said it was shallow, at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and centred 119 km (74 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000.
“It felt like the walls could collapse any moment. The shaking lasted continuously for at least three minutes,” said Yaroslav, 25, in the city.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there had been no casualties in Russia, crediting solid building construction and the smooth operation of alert systems.
In Severo-Kurilsk in the northern Kuril Islands, tsunami waves exceeded 3 metres, with the largest up to 5 metres, Russia’s RIA news agency reported. A quake of magnitude 6.07 later struck the Kuril Islands that lie between Kamchatka and northern Japan, the German Research Center for Geosciences said.
Tsunami waves partially flooded the port and a fish processing plant in the town, sweeping vessels from moorings, regional officials and Russia’s emergency ministry said. Verified drone footage showed the town’s entire shoreline submerged, with taller buildings and some storage facilities surrounded by water.
The Klyuchevskoy volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula began erupting later, a geological monitoring service said. Located around 450 km (280 miles) north of the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Klyuchevskoy is one of the highest volcanoes in the world.
“A descent of burning hot lava is observed on the western slope. Powerful glow above the volcano, explosions,” the Russian Academy of Sciences’ United Geophysical Service said on Telegram.
WAVES IN HAWAII, JAPAN
Hawaii recorded waves of up to 1.7 metres while in Japan the largest recorded came to 1.3 metres, officials said.
Item 1 of 10 An emergency services worker looks at a kindergarten damaged by an earthquake, in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka Krai, Russia, July 30, 2025 in this screen grab from handout video. Russian Ministry for Emergencies/Handout via REUTERS [1/10] An emergency services worker looks at a kindergarten damaged by an earthquake, in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka Krai, Russia, July 30, 2025 in this screen grab from handout video. Russian Ministry for Emergencies/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
Flights out of Honolulu airport resumed in the evening, the transportation department said.
Waves of nearly half a metre were observed as far away as California, with smaller ones reaching Canada’s province of British Columbia. But a tsunami advisory was cancelled for coastal British Columbia as well as coastal areas of south Alaska.
In French Polynesia, waves hit some islands in the early morning hours. In other parts, wave heights were expected to remain below 30 cm, not requiring evacuation or sheltering.
While the Marquesas are high-rising volcanic islands, much of French Polynesia consists of low-lying atolls.
A contour shake map of magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula
WARNINGS ACROSS THE PACIFIC
Authorities in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands , some 970 km (600 miles) off South America’s western coast, ordered precautionary evacuations to safe zones.
Tsunami alarms sounded in coastal towns across Japan’s Pacific coast and evacuation orders were issued for tens of thousands of people.
Workers evacuated the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, where a meltdown following the 2011 tsunami caused a radioactive disaster, operator TEPCO said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said no injuries or damage had been reported, and there were no irregularities at any nuclear plants.
Earthquakes of magnitude 8 or above since 1900
‘RING OF FIRE’
Kamchatka and Russia’s Far East sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The quake occurred on what is known as a “megathrust fault” where the denser Pacific Plate is sliding underneath the lighter North American Plate, according to scientists.
The Pacific Plate has been on the move, making the Kamchatka Peninsula off Russia’s Far East coast especially vulnerable, and bigger aftershocks could not be ruled out, they said.
Video footage from the region’s health ministry showed a team of medics in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky performing surgery as the quake shook their operating theatre. The medics used their hands to try to steady both the patient and their equipment, CCTV footage released by the Kamchatka region’s health ministry showed.
Reporting by Anusha Shah Nilutpal Timsina, Mrinmay Dey, Shivani Tanna and Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru, Lidia Kelly in Melbourne, Satoshi Sugiyama, Chang-Ran Kim and John Geddie in Tokyo, Nur-Azna Sanusiin Singapore and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Writing by Lincoln Feast, Saad Sayeed, Hugh Lawson and Nick Zieminski; Editing by Stephen Coates, Michael Perry, Sharon Singleton, Frances Kerry and Daniel Wallis
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North Pacific Ocean, 135 km East of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Kamchatka, Russia, on Thursday, Jul 31, 2025, at 02:01 pm (GMT +11)
Moderate magnitude 4.8 earthquake at unknown depth in Kamchatka, Russia. Magnitude recalculated from 5.0 to 5.1. Epicenter location corrected by 0.6 km (0.3 mi) towards N. Estimated seismic energy released 1 x 1012 joules (278 megawatt hours, equivalent to 239 tons of TNT) Quake was felt in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, a city with more than 180,000 inhabitants in Russia, in 135 km (84 mi) distance west of the epicenter. The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking. The nearest volcano is Avachinsky (132 km / 82 mi) Weather at epicenter at time of quake Overcast Clouds 13.8°C (57 F), humidity: 88%, wind: 4 m/s (8 kts) from WSW. The closest larger town where the quake may have been felt is.
31 Jul 03:13 UTC: First to report: GFZ after 11 minutes.
31 Jul 03:13: Magnitude recalculated from 5.0 to 5.1. Epicenter location corrected by 0.6 km (0.3 mi) towards N.
… [show all] … 31 Jul 03:13: Now using data updates from EMSC
31 Jul 03:15: Magnitude recalculated from 5.0 to 5.1.
31 Jul 03:15: Epicenter location corrected by 10.3 km (6.4 mi) towards SE.
31 Jul 03:21: Magnitude recalculated from 5.1 to 4.8. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 51.00 to 10.00 km (from 32 to 6.2 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 42 km (26 mi) towards SE.
31 Jul 03:21: Now using data updates from USGS
I didn’t feel it I felt this quake Earthquake details Date & time Jul 31, 2025 03:01:49 UTC – Local time at epicenter Thursday, Jul 31, 2025, at 02:01 pm (GMT +11) Status confirmed (manually revised) Magnitude 4.8 Depth 10 km Epicenter latitude / longitude 52.644°N / 160.5124°E Yelizovsky District, Kamchatka, Russia Seismic antipode 52.644°S / 19.488°W Quality 62 seismic stations Shaking intensity V Moderate shaking near epicenter Felt 0 reports Primary data source USGS (United States Geological Survey) Nearest volcano Avachinsky (132 km / 82 mi) Weather at epicenter at time of quake Overcast Clouds 13.8°C (57 F), humidity: 88%, wind: 4 m/s (8 kts) from WSW Estimated seismic energy released 1 x 1012 joules (278 megawatt hours, equivalent to 239 tons of TNT) | equivalent to ONE quake of magnitude 4.8 | about seismic energy
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Nearby places The closest larger town where the quake might have been felt is The closest larger town where the quake might have been felt is Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy , a city with more than 180,000 inhabitants in Russia , in 135 km (84 mi) distance west of the epicenter. People likely experienced weak shaking there.
The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking.
Distance Place Max. shaking intensity(*) Region Country 135 km (84 mi) W of epicenter Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (pop: 181,200) III: Weak Kamchatka Russia 145 km (90 mi) W of epicenter Vilyuchinsk (pop: 25,200) III: Weak Kamchatka Russia 155 km (96 mi) NW of epicenter Yelizovo (pop: 40,700) III: Weak Kamchatka Russia 156 km (97 mi) W of epicenter Paratunka (pop: 1,770) III: Weak Kamchatka Russia 260 km (162 mi) NW of epicenter Mil’kovo (pop: 8,250) II: Very weak Kamchatka Russia 302 km (188 mi) SW of epicenter Ozernovskiy (pop: 2,620) II: Very weak Kamchatka Russia 334 km (208 mi) N of epicenter Atlasovo (pop: 5,000) II: Very weak Kamchatka Russia 374 km (232 mi) SW of epicenter Severo-Kuril’sk (pop: 2,420) II: Very weak Sakhalin Oblast Russia 381 km (237 mi) N of epicenter Kozyrevsk (pop: 1,240) II: Very weak Kamchatka Russia 383 km (238 mi) N of epicenter Esso (pop: 1,970) II: Very weak Kamchatka Russia 409 km (254 mi) N of epicenter Klyuchi (pop: 10,000) II: Very weak Kamchatka Russia 418 km (260 mi) N of epicenter Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy (pop: 4,940) II: Very weak Kamchatka Russia 458 km (284 mi) NE of epicenter Nikol’skoye (pop: 613) I: Not felt Kamchatka Russia 581 km (361 mi) N of epicenter Tigil’ (pop: 1,990) I: Not felt Kamchatka Russia Notes:
(*) Shaking intensity according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) and estimated using seismic models. there.The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking.
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Compare Quake Data Data for the same earthquake as reported by different agencies The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision. Mag Depth Time GMT 2025-07-31 Epicenter Agency 4.8 10 km 6.2 mi (*) ±1.9 km 03:01:49.338 135 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia Epicenter uncertainty: ± 9.1 km USGS (United States Geological Survey) 4.92 ± 0.19 29 km 18 mi 03:01:53.96 ±0.23s Off East Coast of Kamchatka 23 km (14 mi) epicenter difference with USGS Epicenter uncertainty: ± 10.5 km GFZ (German Research Centre for Geosciences) 5.1 10 km 6.2 mi (*) 03:01:51 Off East Coast of Kamchatka 26 km (16 mi) epicenter difference with USGS RaspberryShake (RaspberryShake) 5.03 10 km 6.2 mi (*) 03:01:50.986 near Petropavlovsk Kamchatskiy 14 km (9 mi) epicenter difference with USGS RENASS (Réseau National de Surveillance Sismique (RéNaSS)) 4.8 10.6 km 6.6 mi 03:01:50.21 ±0.52s OFF EAST COAST OF KAMCHATKA 15 km (9.3 mi) epicenter difference with USGS Epicenter uncertainty: ± 8.6 km EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre) 4.8 10 km 6.2 mi (*) 03:01:49 off east coast of kamchatka 0 km (0 mi) epicenter difference with USGS IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology) 5.2 44 km 28 mi 03:01:49.516 152 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy 28 km (18 mi) epicenter difference with USGS KB-GS-RAS (Geophysical Survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences) Notes:
(*) A depth given as 10 km often means that the the depth of the quake could be not determined with sufficient accuracy.
Tsunami News HIGHLIGHTS: Volcano erupts after quake in Russia’s Far East, additional aftershocks possible
Tsunami Alert in Russia, Japan, US Live Updates: Just hours after a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Russia early on Wednesday (Jul 30), tsunami warnings have been sounded by multiple nations. The quake struck at 8:24 am (2304 GMT Tuesday) off Petropavlovsk on Russia’s remote Kamchatka
One of the strongest earthquakes to hit Russia?
The magnitude 8.8 quake struck at 8:24 am (2304 GMT Tuesday) off Petropavlovsk on Russia’s remote Kamchatka peninsula and was one of the 10 biggest recorded, according to the USGS. The quake occurred approximately 250 kilometres from Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island.
As per reports, this was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded to strike Russia’s sparsely populated Far East early. It caused tsunamis of up to four metres (12 feet) across the Pacific and sparked evacuations from Hawaii to Japan.
Follow WION for LIVE updates on the Russia earthquake and subsequent tsunami warnings in the nation, Japan, the United States and other nations.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/world/asia/aftershocks-russia-earthquake.html