Tsunami Warning Top Points: Power Grid Damaged In Russia's Sakhalin; State Of Emergency Issued In Russian District

• An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka coast, triggering Pacific-wide tsunami alerts.

• Alerts issued for Japan, Russia, US West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand.

•  Japan and Hawaii saw waves over 4 feet; US West Coast saw smaller surges up to 1.6 feet.

• Mass evacuations in Japan, Russia, and Hawaii; flights and port operations disrupted. Hawaii has reopened its airport and taken down the evacuation alert.

• Aftershocks and more waves expected; authorities urge people to avoid coasts and stay alert.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake was shallow, with a depth of 19.3 km. Its epicentre was identified about 125 km (80 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a 165,000-strong city along Avacha Bay. The USGS had first estimated the quake’s magnitude at 8 but revised it to 8.7.

In view of the major earthquake, Tsunami warnings have been issued for parts of Russia, Japan, and Alaska, as well as all of Hawaii.

The massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday off Russia’s remote and sparsely populated far eastern coast.

New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned of powerful and erratic sea currents and shoreline surges following a major earthquake off the Russian coast, The Guardian reported.

"We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore following a magnitude 8.7 earthquake near OFF THE EAST COAST OF KAMCHATKA RUSSIA at 2025-07-30 11:25 AM."

The advisory cautioned people from going into water and to move away from shore regions.

Tsunami warning live updates: The National Tsunami Warning Centre has issued a tsunami advisory covering the entire western coastline of the United States, extending into Canada and Alaska.

The advisory spans from the US-Mexico border in California, running north through Oregon and Washington, into British Columbia, and further up to South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula.

The first waves from the tsunami have hit the coastline of Hokkaido in northern Japan. Broadcaster NHK reported the waves measured around 30cm, sweeping some structures off their foundations as the waves swept inland.

Officials in multiple countries have issued warnings that subsequent waves could be much higher.

- The Guardian

A tsunami hit Russia's far east coast on Wednesday, flooding the port town of Severo-Kurilsk, home to around 2,000 people, Russia's emergencies ministry said.

"The population has been evacuated," the ministry said.

- AFP

Workers at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeast Japan were evacuated Wednesday, according to AFP.

“We have evacuated all workers and employees” at the Fukushima Daiichi plant – which went into meltdown after being hit by a tsunami in 2011 – a spokesperson for plant operator TEPCO told the news wire, adding that “no abnormality” had been observed at the site.

The Indian Embassy in the US issued a statement on X stating that the Consulate General of India in San Francisco is monitoring the potential tsunami threat following the recent 8.7 magnitude earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.

Indian nationals in California, other US West Coast states, and Hawaii are advised to take the following steps: - Follow Local Alerts: Carefully monitor alerts from US authorities, including local emergency management and the US Tsunami Warning Centres -Move to higher ground if a tsunami alert is issued -Avoid coastal areas. -Prepare for emergency & keep devices charged.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has updated its preliminary readings of the earthquake off the coast of Kamchatka this morning, and now classifies it as a magnitude 8.8.

More than a dozen other, smaller quakes have since shaken the region.

The 8.8 magnitude quake, if officially confirmed, would see the temblor in the top 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded.

- The Guardian

US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, "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 tsunami.gov/ for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!"

AFP reported that the 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s far east coast early Wednesday was the region’s strongest since 1952, with aftershocks of up to 7.5 magnitude possible, as observed by the regional seismic monitoring service.

Kamchatka’s geophysical service said, "The strongest earthquake since 1952 has just occurred in the Kamchatka seismic zone … Given the scale of the event, strong aftershocks with a magnitude of up to 7.5 should be expected."

Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said no injuries or damages have been reported so far.

The agency has issued an evacuation advisory to more than 900,000 people in 133 municipalities along the Japanese coastline, stretching from Hokkaido to Okinawa. It’s unclear how many people actually took shelter.

- AP reports

Commercial flights at Hilo International Airport have been suspended to support emergency evacuations from nearby areas, including Keaukaha, as Hawaii braces for a tsunami, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation.

The first wave is expected to arrive at 7:17 p.m. local time, according to emergency officials.

In Kauai, authorities are asking the public to avoid travelling into Hanalei to keep roads clear for those evacuating.

The National Weather Service’s Bay Area branch issued a warning on X, stating, "Friends please be aware, a Tsunami is a series of wave[s] carrying a large extra mass of water to our coast.

This will NOT be a single wave. Do NOT try to go to the coast to take photos. You’re not just putting yourself at risk, you will also be putting rescue teams at risk."

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has issued an emergency proclamation related to the tsunami and urged residents to heed evacuation warnings and not risk being near the shoreline. He said officials were monitoring the tsunami as it approaches the Midway Islands, which would give them a better sense as to how big waves could be when they reach the state in a few hours. Green said on X:

People need to evacuate, that’s very clear. … Please take this very seriously.Do not risk being out at all near the shoreline.

Green added in a news briefing that a tsunami wave was “not a regular wave”:

It will actually kill you if you get hit by a tsunami, so you have to be out of that area.

- The Guardian

Owing to the Tsunami alerts, travel disruptions are surging along the US West Coast and in Hawaii. According to CNN, flights to Honolulu are being disrupted, with diversions, delays and cancellations reported across affected airports.

Flights from various airlines that departed from Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Francisco and San Diego that were bound for Hawaii were turned back to their destination airports late Tuesday, tracking data shows.

Water levels at Midway Atoll, about 1,000 miles northwest of Hawaii, have risen by 3.1 feet (around 1 metre), per the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. This is the biggest open-water tsunami reading in the Northern Pacific yet. Could signal stronger waves nearing Hawaii, first impact expected this hour.

Parts of Hawaii’s coast are seeing noticeable water recession, a sign tsunami waves are approaching. Live webcams from Kauai and Oahu, where Honolulu is located, show sea levels dropping sharply in the last hour. This kind of retreat is typical before the main tsunami waves arrive.

According to CNN, a section of Northern California’s coast faces increased tsunami danger because of an underwater valley that channels wave energy toward shore.

Waves up to 5 feet are possible Tuesday night from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon border, an area now under a tsunami warning. Crescent City, part of this stretch, was hit hard by a 1964 tsunami. Residents have been urged to stay away from the coast.

The earthquake damaged a power grid in Russia's Sakhalin region, RIA news agency reported, citing its regional governor.

According to BBC, Sakhalin has declared a state of emergency in its northern Kuril Islands, while videos show tsunami waves inundating a port town.

The Russian district of Severo-Kurilsk, on the southern tip of Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, has issued a state of emergency after the earthquake and tsunami, according to state media TASS.

Nearly 300 people were evacuated from the port, regional emergency services told state-run RIA 타이산카지노.

The Tsunami waves are now impacting Hawaii, the BBC reported quoting Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

"Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property," the report added, warning that the danger may persist for hours.

A tsunami wave measuring 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) has been observed at Kuji Port in Iwate prefecture, northeastern Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The tsunami waves are growing, the agency said.

Just before this a tsunami wave over five feet had reported in Kahului, on the north-central shore of Maui island in Hawaii, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Oprah Winfrey has opened her private road in Maui, Hawaii to aid residents evacuating after tsunami alerts were issued, her spokesperson said.

“As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened,” her spokesperson told CNN.

“Local law enforcement are currently on site helping residents through 50 cars at a time to ensure everyone’s safety. The road will remain open as long as necessary.”

- CNN

All flights to and from Maui’s Kahului Airport have been cancelled, leaving passengers sheltering in the terminal, Hawaii’s Department of Transportation said on X.

“In the morning, those sheltering will be re-screened prior to departures,” the department said.

As of 8:30 p.m. HST, Hilo International Airport remains closed. Baggage screening at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu has resumed with inter-island and transpacific flights being staggered, the department said.

Waves up to a foot were observed in Guam, a US island territory in the Western Pacific, according to the island’s civil defence office.

Waves of similar heights are expected to ebb and flow but gradually diminish in the coming hours, authorities said, cautioning people to stay out of the water.

Crescent City, in Northern California, close to the Oregon border, has seen the first tsunami waves with high water levels.

The National Weather Service reports that a wave of more than one foot has been seen, and more waves are predicted soon.

The community is situated along a 100-mile section of the coast of Northern California that is under the highest possible alert level, a tsunami warning. According to the National Weather Service, this region is at increased danger of tsunamis due to its distinct underwater terrain, which can "funnel wave energy."

A tsunami advisory is in effect for the remainder of the US West Coast.

According to CNN, over 90 vessels have left Honolulu Harbour in recent hours after the tsunami warning was issued, according to Marine Traffic data.

The majority of vessels that left the Hawaiian capital’s main port were fishing boats, pleasure crafts and Coast Guard ships, which can be seen moving to deeper waters as a safety precaution.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a tsunami threat today for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, according to the US Embassy to Papua New Guinea.

The embassy urged US citizens in those parts of the South Pacific to “be prepared to move to higher ground immediately if you are in a coastal area and notice unusual sea activity or feel strong or prolonged shaking.”

“Avoid coastal areas, beaches, and rivers until further notice,” the embassy’s alert added. “Ensure your emergency supplies are ready, including water, food, medications, and important documents.”

- CNN

Just in: tsunami waves made their way to the US West Coast, hitting the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.

The biggest tsunami waves have been seen at:
California's Arena Cove: 1.6 ft
California's Crescent City: 1.5 ft
California's Monterey: 1.4 feet

The remainder of the California coast, including the San Francisco Bay Area, the Oregon coast, and the Washington coast, is still under a tsunami warning.

Hours after the first waves, there is a chance of dangerous currents and more surges. Until the advisories are cancelled, the National Weather Service encourages people to avoid beaches, harbours, and piers.

AFP reported that Russian state television aired footage of a tsunami wave sweeping through a coastal town in the far east of the country, carrying buildings and debris into the sea.

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) adding that “a major tsunami is not expected to strike the state of Hawaii”.

The PTWC, operated by the National Weather Service, said in an alert," Based on all available data a major tsunami is not expected to strike the state of Hawaii. However...sea level changes and strong currents may occur along all coasts that could be a hazard to swimmers and boaters as well as to persons near the shore at beaches and in harbours and marinas."

Flights have been restored and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (EMA) said that the evacuation order had been lifted and it was safe to return to previously evacuated areas, Reuters reports.