Quake off Russia: US downgrades tsunami warning to advisory, 'worst part of it is over'
Pacific nations from Japan to the western United States are issuing warnings and ordering evacuations bracing for a tsunami after a powerful earthquake struck off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula
What's happening?
- The first waves triggered by a massive 8.8 earthquake off Russia's coast have reached Hawaii, with a 4ft (1.2m) wave recorded off Oahu
- People in Hawaii, some parts of the US west coast and Japan have been told to evacuate after one of the strongest earthquakes in modern history hit Russia's eastern Kamchatka Peninsula
- Hawaii Governor Josh Green has asked people to heed evacuation orders and stay calm while US President Donald Trump advised Americans to be on alert for tsunami warnings
- In Japan, 1.9 million people have been told to evacuate and a tsunami wave of 4.3ft (1.3m) has reached the northern Iwate prefecture, according to the country's weather agency
- Tsunami alerts of varying levels have also been issued in the Philippines, Indonesia, Guam, Peru and the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador
5:00pm
Hawaii airport temporarily closed to allow people to use runway to evacuate
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One of the two main airports on Hawaii's Big Island, Hilo International Airport, was temporarily closed to support the evacuation of the nearby Keaukaha beach community, reports CNN.
In a statement, the state government said the closure was necessary to "facilitate evacuation of Keaukaha across the runway."
Located just north of the airport, Keaukaha is home to several beach parks and has only one main road providing access out of the area.
4:05pm
Philippines cancels Tsunami advisories
Tsunami advisories issued for several coastal areas in the Philippines have been lifted, reports BBC.
In an update, the Department of Science and Technology reported that no significant sea level changes or destructive tsunami waves were detected based on current data.
4:00pm
French Polynesia's Marquesas Islands under tsunami warning
Authorities in French Polynesia have issued a tsunami alert for the Marquesas Islands, warning that waves up to 2.2 meters (7.2 feet) could impact Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva, and Hiva Oa between Tuesday night and Wednesday, CNN reports.
While smaller waves may reach other parts of French Polynesia, no evacuations are currently necessary in those areas, officials said.
Located in the South Pacific, French Polynesia is a semi-autonomous French territory made up of 118 islands spread across more than 5.3 million square kilometers—roughly the size of Europe.
3:50pm
Tsunami warning in parts of Japan switched to advisories
Tsunami warnings in parts of Japan have been switched to advisories, Japanese broadcaster NHK reports.
But the warnings still remain in Hokkaido and Tohoku regions.
More than two million people have been advised to evacuate. Air and rail traffic has been disrupted.
3:00pm
Tsunami warning in Hawaii downgraded to an advisory. The "worst part of it" is over, official says
The tsunami warning for the state of Hawaii has been downgraded to an advisory, as of 10:39 p.m. HST, according to the National Weather Service, says CNN.
The "worst part of it" is over, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center Director Chip McCreery said Tuesday night, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
The only tsunami warning remaining in the US is in Northern California.
2:10pm
First tsunami waves seen in California
California has begun seeing its first tsunami waves with elevated water levels in Crescent City, in Northern California near the Oregon border.
A wave over 1 foot has been observed, according to data from the National Weather Service, with more waves expected soon, reports CNN.
The city is located along a 100-mile stretch of Northern California's coast that is under a tsunami warning, the highest alert level. This area is under heightened tsunami risk because its unique underwater geography has the ability to "funnel wave energy," according to the National Weather Service.
The rest of the US West Coast is under a tsunami advisory.
1:58pm
Wave of 5.7ft recorded on Maui
More waves are reaching the Hawaiian coast on the Pacific, according to the Tsunami Warning Center.
A wave reaching 5.7ft (1.74m) has been recorded at Kahului, Maui, while one of 4.9ft (1.5m) was recorded in Hailo, Hawaii, says the BBC.
1:27pm
Where are the tsunami warnings?
The US Tsunami Warning Centres says waves of more than three metres high are possible along some coasts of Ecuador, the northwestern Hawaiian islands and Russia.
Waves between one to three metres are possible along some coasts of Chile, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Japan and islands in the Pacific, it adds.
Waves of up to one metre were possible elsewhere, including Australia, Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand, Tonga and Taiwan.
Japan says its citizens should be on high alert, and 1.9m people are under evacuation orders, says the BBC.
Hawaii is on full tsunami alert, with people told to get to higher ground and ships asked to remain offshore. The mayor of Honolulu has told residents: "Please take this very seriously. Get yourself as high as you possibly can" though says authorities are yet to see "a wave of consequence"
On the US west coast, the US National Weather Service is telling people to avoid beaches, harbours and marinas.
Chinese authorities have issued a tsunami alert for Zhejiang province and Shanghai city, saying they expect waves of up to one metre.
In Peru, officials have issued a tsunami warning and are keeping "constant surveillance" on the situation.
1:20pm
Tsunami wave over 3 metres hit Russian Pacific town: Report
Tsunami waves that crashed into the Russian Pacific town of Severo-Kurilsk exceeded three metres (9.8ft) in height, and the most powerful was as big as five metres (16.4ft), Russia's Ria Novosti news agency reports, citing emergency services.
According to the news agency, the town's port area and a fish factory were flooded by four tsunami waves that followed after the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that hit earlier today of Russian far east coast, reports Al Jazeera.
A state of emergency has been declared in the area, the agency added.
1:12pm
Even small tsunamis can be deadly
The Japan Lifesaving Association says that even small tsunami waves can sweep people away.
Here's how it says different wave heights affect humans:
0 - 30 cm: A healthy adult can just stand but cannot walk.
30 - 50 cm: Cars and containers start to float, can stand by clinging on to something.
50 - 70 cm: Over knee high and the power of water becomes strong, even a healthy adult can be swept away.
70 - 100 cm: It is impossible to stand still. Risk of death from being hit by large drifting objects.
12:48pm
Flights cancelled on Hawaii's Maui island
Hawaii Governor Josh Green has told reporters all flights in and out of Maui have been cancelled as a precaution. He says airports have not yet been impacted by any waves.
He said so far there are also no plans to shut off power in advance of any waves hitting the islands.
No wave of consequence has been seen so far, he added.
12:29pm
USGS: Earthquake near epicenter of one that occurred in 1952 with 9 magnitude
Russian scientists said it was the most powerful quake to hit the region since 1952.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said on X that Wednesday's quake happened near the epicenter of the 1952 quake:
12:14pm
Trump: 'Tsunami Warning is in effect'
The US president posted on X social media:
12:09pm
Hawaii residents head for higher ground
Residents in Hawaii were told to get to high ground or the fourth floor or above of buildings after the powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's far eastern triggered a tsunami warning.
The US Coast Guard ordered ships out of harbours as the wave approached.
12:03am
Hawaii governor says wave recorded at 2 metres
Josh Green, governor of the US state of Hawaii, has said that when the waves generated by the quake passed through Midway Atoll they were recorded at 6 feet (about 2 meters).
11:54am
Japan authorities say bigger waves still possible
People watch the coastal area in Miyagi prefecture, Japan July 30, 2025, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Kyodo/via REUTERS
The highest wave detected in Japan so far has been 60 centimetres.
However, Japan's meteorological agency says tsunami waves could still strike its coast more than a day after the Kamchatka earthquake.
Much of the eastern coast is under an evacuation advisory with authorities warning of possible waves as high as three metres.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said there have been no injuries or damage reported so far, and no irregularities at any nuclear plants.
11:3am
Map: Where the quake struck
11:32am
Tsunami warning stretches along Japan's eastern seaboard
A tsunami warning stretches hundreds of kilometres along Japan's eastern seaboard, public broadcaster NHK reported .
11:27am
How powerful was the earthquake?
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and was centred 119 km (74 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000.
It revised the magnitude up to 8.8 from 8.0 earlier, and reported a strong aftershock of magnitude 6.9 soon after.
