Topline
A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, triggering Tsunami warnings across the coastal regions of Japan, the state of Hawaii and northern California as authorities warned that waves is some areas could reach as high as 10 feet.
A tsunami warning is displayed on a television in Yokohama, near Tokyo.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning that covered the entirety of the country’s eastern seaboard.
In response to the tsunami alert, Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency issued an evacuation advisory that covered more than 1.9 million people across 21 prefectures across the country.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green announced he has signed an emergency proclamation and said tsunami waves could hit the island state “as early as 7:10 p.m.” local time.
Green said people living in coastal areas should “move inland and to higher ground immediately...Do not wait.”
The National Weather Service also issued a tsunami warning in the coastal area along the Oregon-California border including Cape Mendocino, California.
Tsunami watches and advisories are in effect all across the U.S. West Coast, but the National Weather Service issued a warning, saying: “Tsunami is a series of wave 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.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 8.8 magnitude earthquake’s epicenter was located just off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia.
In a press conference, the Hawaii Governor said the height of the initial wave triggered by the earthquake was around three feet above sea level when it crossed Midway, which is located around 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu. Green then warned residents: “You need to expect that there will be flooding on the islands and it will be imminent after the wave hits,” as he urged them to heed evacuation orders immediately. According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center’s forecast, the tsunami waves could reach as high as 10 feet (3 meters) along the coast of Northwestern Hawaii.
This is a developing story.