Tsunami alerts issued for US, Japan after powerful earthquake off Russia

A tsunami warning is displayed on a television in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, after Japan 

issued alerts following a strong earthquakes off the Kamchatka Peninsula 

[Eugene Hoshiko/AP]

Tsunami alerts have been issued in multiple countries after a powerful magnitude 8.7 earthquake off the Russian coast.

Waves of up to 4 metres high (13 feet) were recorded in Russia’s far-eastern Kamchatka region early on Wednesday, with warnings of hazardous waves issued for Japan, Ecuador and parts of the United States.

Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on Telegram that the quake was the “strongest in decades”.

The regional health minister, Oleg Melnikov, told Russia’s state-run TASS news agency that several people had been injured but none of them seriously.

The US National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning for the state of Hawaii.

“A tsunami has been generated that could cause damage along coastlines of all islands in the state of Hawaii. Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,” it said in an alert.

The Honolulu Department of Emergency Management in Hawaii urged the evacuation of residents in some coastal areas.

“Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,” the agency said on X.

The US Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami “watch” for the entire West Coast.

Japanese authorities said they expected waves as high as 3 metres (9.8 ft) to hit 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.

The magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck 136km (85 miles) east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia’s far east, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Subsequent quakes of magnitude 6.9 and 6.3 were recorded 147km (91 miles) and 131km (81 miles) southeast of Petropavlovsk and Vilyuchinsk, respectively, in Russia’s far east, according to the USGS.

Robert Weis, a tsunami expert at Virginia Tech, said the situation appeared to be serious.

“It is correct to be worried about this one,” Weis told Al Jazeera.

“Three metres is pretty destructive,” he said.

More to follow…