2. Image source, Reuters
3. Image caption,
4. Ocean Beach, California on Wednesday
5. At 11:25 local time on Wednesday (00:25 BST), the sixth most severe earthquake in recorded history struck off Russia’s far eastern coast.
6. About 17 hours later, the worst threat appears to have passed.
7. With a massive magnitude of 8.8, the earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula sent tsunami waves towards Japan, Hawaii and the US west coast.
8. In the following hours, more than two million people across the Pacific were ordered to evacuate, with alerts also issued in China, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Zealand and as far as Peru, Chile and Mexico.
9. “The disaster we were expecting did not come,” a Hawaii tourist told the BBC, half a day after the quake struck. The Russian government says there has been no casualties.
10. As international alerts are lifted, we are ending our live coverage.
11. We’ll be keeping our eyes on any further tsunami and earthquake updates here.
14. Esme Stallard
15. Climate and science reporter
16. The earthquake occurred in a part of the world called the Pacific Ring of Fire. It is what we call a “seismically active” part of the world.
17. The upper layers of the Earth are split into sections – tectonic plates – which are all moving relative to one another. This movement releases energy in the form of earthquakes.
18. The Pacific Ring of Fire is an arc of these plates that extend round the Pacific. It gets its name from the high amount of earthquakes and volcanoes experienced here. About 80% of the world’s earthquakes occur along the ring, according to the British Geological Survey.
19. Kamchatka lies close to one of these plate boundaries, as does Japan, the Philippines, and the Pacific coast of much of the Americas.
20. The earthquake that occurred this morning (local time) is the joint sixth largest ever recorded along with previous ones off the coasts of Chile and Ecuador. The fifth largest, a 9.0 earthquake, also occurred near Kamchatka in 1952. It resulted in a 12m high Tsunami to the south of the peninsula.
21. Image source, BGS/UKRI
22. Image caption,
23. Black dots show the distribution of earthquakes around the world and tectonic plates
26. Steve Rosenberg
27. Russia editor
28. The Kamchatka Peninsula is used to tremors. It’s an area of high seismic activity.
29. But an earthquake of such magnitude is rare.
30. Dramatic mobile phone video posted online shows apartments shaking violently and residents clearly distraught.
31. A video from inside a cancer hospital shows an operating theatre shaking during an operation. The surgical team remained calm throughout and held the patient still until the tremor was over. The local authorities have recommended the doctors for state awards.
32. In a statement the Governor of Kamchatka Territory, Vladimir Solodov, said these were the “strongest tremors in decades”. He called on residents to “stay calm”.
33. Despite the strength of the earthquake, no deaths were reported according to the Kremlin’s spokesperson.
34. But tsunami waves more than 5m high struck the town of Severo-Kurilsk, flooding the port and washing away more than a dozen boats.
35. It was reported later that, following the earthquake, the Klyuchevskoy Volcano on Kamchatka Peninsula had begun erupting.
36. Russian seismologists are expecting further aftershocks in the coming days.
37. 
40. Esme Stallard
41. Climate and science reporter
42. This earthquake has been measured as an 8.8 according to the US Geological Survey – which they say makes it the sixth largest recorded in history.
43. The scale that geologists use to measure earthquakes is called the Moment Magnitude scale.
44. It looks at various physical features like how much ground was moved, by how far, and how strong is the rock material being moved.
45. This is all worked out by analysing the waves produced from the ground shaking.
46. The scale is logarithmic which means that each increase in number is equivalent to a ten-fold increase in size. So an earthquake measuring 8 on the scale is 10 times bigger than one measured at 7.
47. 
50. Peru has closed 65 of its 125 Pacific ports amid a tsunami warning.
51. Some roads have also been closed near to a beach in Lima, Peru’s capital.
52. Peru’s national emergency centre says waves should reach the northern, central and southern ports between 10:10 local time (16:10 BST) and 12:31 (18:31 BST).
55. Image source, Reuters
56. The threat of a major tsunami hitting the US has passed, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says.
57. But she notes that alerts are still in place for parts of the West Coast, but “we anticipate it will be minimum impact”.
58. The National Weather Service advises people in areas still under alert to stay away from the sea and beaches.
61. Mark Poynting
62. Climate and science reporter
63. The deeper the water, the faster tsunami waves move.
64. A tsunami can travel at more than 500mph (800km/h) in the deep ocean, about as fast as a passenger aeroplane.
65. Out in deep water, the distance between waves is very long and the waves aren’t very high – rarely more than a metre.
66. If you were out in a boat in the deep ocean, you might not notice a tsunami as it passes beneath you.
67. But as a tsunami enters shallow water near land, it slows down, often to about 20-30mph.
68. The distance between waves shortens, and waves grow in height.
69. This can effectively become a wall of water, leading to potentially devastating flooding.
70. A tsunami arrives at the coast as a series of crests and troughs – the highest and lowest parts of the wave.
71. If the trough arrives first, then the water can suddenly recede before rushing onto land.
74. Local authorities of the Galápagos Islands have announced new provisions to begin preventative evacuations of coastal areas deemed vulnerable to the tsunami threat.
75. In a statement, the authorities say “prevention and response actions have been intensified” including the evacuation of all “high-impact zones” and directing the population to safe zones.
76. They add that aviation authorities have been instructed to delay scheduled flights.
77. The governing council calls on people on the islands to remain calm and follow the instructions of authorities.
80. Julia Macfarlane
81. BBC News reporter
82. I’ve been speaking to Naima Rao, a local journalist on the island of Guam – which is a US territory about 2,500km south of Tokyo.
83. The tsunami advisory has been cancelled, but officials warn that minor sea level fluctuations may continue, and that there was still a high risk of rip currents.
84. “The mood in Guam today was calm, although there was heavy traffic along the main roads as residents close to the coastal and low-lying areas moved further inland,” Naima tells me.
85. “Guam, which regularly sees earthquakes and typhoons, is no stranger to natural disasters although tsunamis are very rare there.
86. “According to local residents this afternoon, many were carpooling and coordinating evacuation among themselves via WhatsApp in order to move as fast as possible to higher ground after the advisories were issued,” the local journalist says.
87. “As the hours passed with no dangerous waves sighted, residents began returning to their homes and the advisory was cancelled by the evening.”
90. Image source, Reuters
91. French President Emmanuel Macron has just posted on social media warning of a tsunami “coming to French Polynesia”.
92. He says that all government departments have been mobilised to protect citizens and urges people to follow the instructions of local authorities.
93. “All my support to the Marquesans and all our compatriots in the Pacific,” he says.
94. As a reminder, French Polynesian authorities have warned of a 4m wave in Nuku Hiva island that is expected any time after 01:00 local time (11:30 BST).
97. Image source, Kamchatka of Geophysical Survery/Getty Images
98. Image caption,
99. An aerial view of the Russian town of Severo-Kurilsk which suffering flooding due to the tsunami triggered by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake
100. North America

• Warnings: Californian coast, from Humboldt to the Oregon border. And in Mexico
• Advisories: Hawaii, coastal areas of Washington and Oregon, South Alaska, Central and West Aleutians from Samalga Pass to Attu, and in California from Humboldt to Rincon Point
• No longer in place: Advisories in the Alaskan Peninsula, East Aleutians and South Akpen from Chignik Bay to Samalga Pass, British Columbia’s coast, Vancouver Island and the Juan de Fuca Strait coast

1. The US National Weather Service has a four-tier alert system for tsunamis – here’s what the warnings mean.
2. South America

• Warnings: Chile, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua
• Advisories: Colombia’s Pacific coast, Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands

1. Oceania

• Threat alert: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, the Marquesas Islands Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa and Vanuatu
• Advisories: Samoa
• No longer in place: Tonga, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Guam, CNMI and American Samoa

1. Asia

• Advisories: Pacific coastline of Japan
• No longer in place: Taiwan, Philippines, China’s Shanghai and Zhejiang. Warnings in Japan’s Pacific coast

1. Russia

• No longer in place: Kamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin Island and the town of Severo-Kurilsk in the northern Kuril islands

3. Natalia Zotova
4. BBC Russian
5. Image source, Emergency Situations of Russia Handout/ Getty Images
6. Image caption,
7. A screen grab from a video by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia shows the aftermath of an 8.8 magnitude earthquake
8. Vasily Berezhnoy has lived in Kamchatka, Russia, all his life and experienced several earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – but he says he doesn’t remember tremors as strong as today.
9. “People were in the streets – some in slippers, some in bathrobes, some holding their children. Some were hysterical,” he says. “When the ground beneath your feet moves like a wave, when you see pipes and towers swaying – it’s terrifying, of course. You can never get used to that.”
10. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit near the Kamchatka Peninsula at about 11:25am local time (00:25 BST) on Wednesday and is one of the most powerful ever recorded.
11. High school student Sofia says she was at home with her parents when the tremors began.
12. “Chaos broke out, the furniture started falling before our eyes, along with everything on it. I wasn’t the only one panicking – our neighbours, along with their pets, also rushed outside in a panic,” she says.
13. Sofia adds that people who tried to drive away created chaos on the roads, with massive traffic jams and accidents.
16. José Carlos Cueto
17. BBC Mundo correspondent, reporting from Colombia
18. Image source, gett
19. Image caption,
20. A sign marks an evacuation route in Valparaiso, Chile
21. Several South American nations with Pacific coastlines have issued tsunami alerts and advisories.
22. In Colombia, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management downgraded its initial tsunami alert to an advisory for the Pacific coast.
23. Officials warn of strong currents and waves expected to reach the coastline between 10:00 and 12:00 local time (16:00 and 18:00 BST). Maritime traffic has been restricted, and some coastal areas and beaches have been evacuated as a preventive measure.
24. In Ecuador, a tsunami advisory was declared for the Galápagos Islands. Maritime activities were suspended, and beaches, docks and low-lying coastal areas were evacuated. The mainland coast remains under observation.
25. Chile issued a red alert, the highest level, for Pascua Island. A tsunami alert is also in effect for a wide stretch of the country’s northern and central coastline and precautionary advisory was issued for the southern regions of Aysén, Magallanes, and the Chilean Antarctic Territory.
26. Authorities across the region are urging residents and visitors in affected areas to follow official guidance and remain away from the coast until the threat has passed.
29. Rozina Sini
30. BBC News reporter
31. Sam Jackson, from Birmingham, is on holiday in Hawaii and was on Kaanapali beach in Maui when he first got the tsunami alarm.
32. “I was unsure and wanted to check whether this was a regular occurrence or was it a major tsunami warning,” he tells me. “I felt like this doesn’t feel right. I asked at the hotel and they gave the impression I didn’t need to do anything.”
33. Sam went to an evacuation point where he met a group of Americans. They decided to moved to higher ground on a golf course.
34. “We were then just looking to see if anything would happen but we couldn’t see much,” he adds. “We had repeated updates, but from 18:45 local time there were no other warnings – not even to say ‘stay where you are.’
35. “People were getting restless. People went back to their hotels a lot earlier than what we were advised to.”
36. After the tsunami threat was downgraded, Sam said he was “extremely relieved”.
37. “It was a very surreal feeling,” he recalls. “It’s my last day here before I fly back, and I’ve spent it avoiding a tsunami.”
38. 
40. 
41. By Paul Brown, Peter Mwai, Richard Irvine-Brown
42. BBC Verify has been looking through videos shared online to confirm which genuinely show the impacts of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Russia’s eastern coast and which are older videos.
43. We’ve verified this video which was shared by the Russian Academy of Sciences, showing seawater surging along the coast. The team used satellite imagery of the harbour at Severo-Kurilsk, in the Kuril Islands to confirm its location.
44. Image source, Russian Academy of Sciences
45. We’ve also confirmed a video filmed inside Yelizovo Airport, Kamchatka, is authentic and from today. It shows at least three ceiling panels, each around 10ft long, fall from the ceiling, narrowly missing a person in one instance.
46. The interior matches publicly available photos of the airport on Google, and reverse image searches found no earlier versions of this footage online.
47. Separately, an old video showing beluga whales washed ashore is being widely shared online this morning. Although filmed in the same region, BBC Verify has traced it back to at least 2023 – meaning it is not connected to today’s events.
48. Image source, X
51. A number of island nations in the South Pacific have downgraded their tsunami warnings.
52. Tonga says its tsunami alert has been cancelled and “the potential threat to all island groups has passed”, saying the threat level “has been deemed low”.
53. And Fiji says its tsunami watch advisory has been cancelled, with the government announcing the “all clear”.
54. “Communities may now resume normal activities,” it says, but urges the public to “remain alert” and continue to follow official updates.
55. The Cook Islands says its tsunami advisory is cancelled as there is “no longer a tsunami threat” and “no significant impacts have been reported”.
56. Samoa’s Disaster Management Office says on social media its tsunami watch remains in place, with “wave activity and strong coastal currents” observed in some areas. Authorities advise the public to stay away from coastal areas.
59. A tsunami advisory that was in place for the southern California coast – from the California-Mexico border to Rincon Point – has been cancelled, the National Tsunami Warning Center says.
60. A warning still remains along the north coast of the state, from Rincon Point to Humboldt, it adds.
63. Image source, Getty Images
64. Image caption,
65. Debris in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake
66. What happened:
67. The latest warnings:
68. The impact:
71. Rozina Sini
72. BBC News reporter
73. Image source, Sarah Heavenly Sikes
74. Sarah Heavenly Sikes, who lives in Maui, Hawaii, says she was working at a scuba diving shop when she was alerted to the tsunami.
75. Sikes, who moved to Hawaii from Minnesota in April, says: “Today I was working at the dive shop and my phone went off. I thought ‘oh, it’s just a little warning.’
76. “But then we had to close the shop. My family is all mainland and so they were messaging.”
77. Sarah explains there was “a lot of anxiety” and describes seeing a “5.7ft (1.7m) wave hitting Kahului”.
78. 
81. The Japanese meteorological agency has removed all tsunami warnings, downgrading them to advisories.
82. Now, the whole of Japan has either tsunami advisories or forecasts in place.

Page 2

2. Initial reports indicate there has been “no safety impact for nuclear power plants along the Pacific coast,” the UN’s nuclear watchdog says.
3. The International Atomic Energy Agency says it is in contact with Japanese national authorities about the earthquake and resulting tsunami.
4. Authorities were on high alert due to the earthquake, with workers at the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini nuclear plant told to evacuate.
7. Image source, EPA/Russian Emergencies Ministry Handout
8. Image caption,
9. Rescuers walk among debris in Russia’s Kamchatka region
10. Authorities in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula – near to where the powerful earthquake struck hours ago – have lifted tsunami warnings.
11. Posting on social media, external, Kamchatka’s emergency minister says the “tsunami threat cancelled in Kamchatka”.
14. Esme Stallard
15. Climate and science reporter
16. The Kamchatka Peninsula is remote but beneath the surface there is a lot happening.
17. Remember the earth’s surface is split up into sections called plates. Just off its coast, the Pacific plate is moving northwest and coming into contact with another, smaller plate – called the Okhotsk microplate.
18. The Pacific plate is oceanic, which means it has dense rocks and wants to sink beneath the microplate.
19. As the Pacific plate sinks towards the centre of the earth, it is heating up and begins to melt – it effectively disappears.
20. But this process is not always smooth, often the plates can get stuck as they move past each other and the overriding plate is dragged downwards. This friction can then suddenly be released causing the plates to rebound.
21. This rebounding causes a megathrust earthquake.
22. The largest earthquakes every recorded in history, including Chile, Alaska and Sumatra which was responsible for the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, were all megathrust earthquakes.
23. This motion forces the ocean above it upwards, and displaces a large volume of water. This heightened part of the ocean then propagates outwards – this is the beginning of a tsunami.
24. Image source, BGS
25. Image caption,
26. This diagram from the British Geological Survey shows an oceanic plate sinking beneath a continental plate at the Cascadia Subduction zone off the West coast of North America
29. Image source, EPA/Russian Emergencies Ministry Handout
30. Image caption,
31. A destroyed building in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula
32. The Russian government has given their first official reaction to the powerful earthquake, which struck in the far eastern part of the country.
33. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov tells reporters that “all warning systems” had worked properly.
34. “Thank God, there were no casualties,” he adds.
37. Shaimaa Khalil
38. Tokyo correspondent
39. Image source, Reuters
40. Image caption,
41. Residents at an evacuation centre in Hokkaido
42. Thousands of people on Japan’s Pacific coast were woken up this morning by sirens alerting them to a tsunami.
43. Dozens of waves have hit Japan’s Pacific coast, with some more than a metre high, and officials say the risk is far from over.
44. In the searing heat – at the height of school holidays – families abandoned beaches with many stuck in traffic jams as they tried to move to higher ground.
45. The evacuation warning is a mid-level alert here, and spans hundreds of miles along the northern Pacific coast. But it has been downgraded to advisory levels throughout areas north of Tokyo to Wakayama prefecture in the south west.
46. The company which operates the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear powerplant – which suffered a meltdown in 2011 after a huge earthquake and tsunami – has said that all workers have been evacuated. There have been no abnormalities reported so far, the company says.
49. French Polynesian authorities have increased the maximum wave height prediction for the island of Nuku Hiva from 7.2ft (2.2m) to 13ft (4m).
50. The wave is expected any time after 01:00 local time (11:30 BST), authorities said. Nuku Hiva is the largest of the Marquesas Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
51. Other Marquesas Islands will be affected by wave heights between 0.6m and 0.9m, the latest statement adds.
52. Earlier, we heard that waves between 3.6ft (1.1m) and 7.2ft (2.2m) are expected for Ua Huka and Hiva Oa.
55. The tsunami waves are continuing to build along parts of the California coast as it begins to reach early morning, according to the National Weather Service Eureka.
56. There are tidal swings of up to 2.5ft (0.7m) within 15 minutes in San Francisco, the Bay Area weather service says.
57. “This can create some seriously dangerous currents along beaches and harbours. It’s just a good idea to stay away from the water today!”
58. The maximum wave height recorded so far remains at 3.6ft (1.09m) in Crescent City, as we reported earlier.
59. Elsewhere in the US, waves are also being reported in La Push and Westport in Washington state.
62. Erwan Rivault
63. Senior data designer
64. Since modern seismography began in 1900, only five earthquakes have been stronger than the 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s coast. The most powerful on record remains the 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile.
65. The earthquake which hit near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula is the most powerful to be recorded since the 2011 Great Tohoku earthquake in Japan, which triggered a devastating tsunami and led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
66. A previous earthquake struck the same area near the Kamchatka Peninsula in 1952 with a magnitude of 9.
67. 
70. Mark Poynting
71. Climate and science reporter
72. At a provisional magnitude of 8.8, today’s earthquake ranks as one of the strongest ever recorded.
73. Here is the current list of the previous biggest ones, according to the US Geological Survey:
74. Biobío, Chile, 1960 – 9.5
75. Alaska, USA, 1964 – 9.2
76. Sumatra, Indonesia, 2004 – 9.1
77. Tōhoku, Japan, 2011 – 9.1
78. Kamchatka Krai, Russia, 1952 – 9.0
79. Before today, the next on the list were the 8.8-magnitude earthquakes off the coast of Chile in 2010 and Ecuador in 1906.
80. 
83. Image source, Reuters
84. Image caption,
85. Residents in Hokkaido headed to this evacuation site and are being advised to stay on higher ground
86. Japan’s Meteorological Agency has downgraded the tsunami warning level to “advisory” for coastlines from Kanto to Wakayama, but remains at the higher level of warning” for parts of Hokkaido and Tohoku.
87. Officials say tsunami are still being observed and there remains a risk of damage, adding that people in coastal areas should evacuate to safe places such as high ground or evacuation buildings.
88. Based on tsunami observation records from past earthquakes of nearly the same magnitude, authorities estimate that the high tsunami conditions will persist for at least a day.
91. Rozina Sini
92. BBC News
93. I’ve just spoken to Farrell Monaco in Makaha, Ohau in Hawaii who is on holiday from California, who says she was touring around the east coast when she initially noticed the tsunami advisory.
94. “People were still driving and kids were playing on the streets, so we didn’t bat an eye,” she tells me.
95. “Then about 45 minutes later we hit traffic then the warnings started to come across and more news coverage.
96. “They were telling people in tsunami zones to move inland. That’s when everyone hit the roads.
97. “We foolishly thought we had time to get back to our vacation rental so we could pack up and leave – but then we hit traffic and realised we wouldn’t get back and then we ran out of gas.”
98. Farrell describes a number of people lining up to get fuel; but reflecting on Hawaii downgrading the tsunami warning she said people did not panic.
99. “It was super nerve wracking waiting and waiting – you could hear a pin drop,” she adds. “The disaster we were expecting did not come. They were so well prepared, they had air raid sirens and alerts.
100. “Everyone was on the roads and it was busy but it was all very civilised.”
101. 
104. A tsunami warning has been issued for the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, with local authorities warning waves between 3.6ft (1.1m) and 7.2ft (2.2m) are expected in the coming hours.
105. The waves are expected to hit the islands of Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva, and Hiva Oa, authorities say, urging people in the area to evacuate to high-rise or refuge areas.
106. There is no need for evacuation for the rest of French Polynesia, though people are urged to avoid coastlines, beaches and river mouths.
109. News of tsunami alerts and advisories across the Pacific are flooding in. Let’s take a minute to go over what exactly these warnings mean.
110. The US National Weather Service has a four-tier alert system for tsunamis.
111. Warning: Dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents possible, move to high ground or inland.
112. Advisory: Strong currents and waves dangerous to those in or very near water possible, stay out of water, away from beaches and waterways.
113. Watch: Distant tsunami possible, stay alert and be prepared to act.
114. Information statement: No threat, very distant event or threat not determined.
117. The Philippines has cancelled its tsunami advisories put in place in several coastal communities.
118. The Department of Science and Technology says in an update that based on its data, no significant sea level disturbances or destructive tsunami waves have been recorded.
121. As we’ve been reporting, waves have reached the US west coast, where waves in Crescent City, northern California, have been recorded now at 3.6ft (1.09m), according to the National Tsunami Warning Center.
122. A warning remains in place from Cape Mendocino to the border with Oregon.
123. In Arena Cove, the waves have nearly doubled in height from 1.6ft (0.48m) to 3ft (0.9m) in the latest update.
126. Shaimaa Khalil
127. Tokyo correspondent
128. Image source, Reuters
129. Image caption,
130. Some trains are suspended due to the tsunami warnings
131. The area affected by the tsunami across Japan is absolutely vast. We are currently at the mid-level of the country’s alert system. But people are being told they need to watch what happens later in the day – the full impact will become clearer in a few hours’ time.
132. The highest waves recorded so far have been 4.3ft (1.3m), and the authorities say they could reach as high as 9.8 ft (3m).
133. They also warn that when a tsunami coincides with high tide, the water could reach even higher – so people need to be careful even if the sea looks calm.
134. Residents in the affected areas have been told not to leave higher ground, and they are generally heeding the warnings. People have taken to rooftops on buildings in affected areas like Hokkaido. There is major disruption to train lines, and some flights have been cancelled.
135. Japan has experienced many earthquakes so the warning systems are very well-developed, and you constantly get updates on your phone.
136. We’ve also heard from the company which runs the Fukushima nuclear plant, which lies within one of the affected areas. Workers have been evacuated but the company was quick to say there have been no abnormalities.
139. Mark Poynting
140. Climate and science reporter
141. The outer layer of the Earth is divided into different sections called tectonic plates – a bit like the Earth’s puzzle pieces.
142. These plates move very slowly – perhaps only a few centimetres a year, which is roughly the same rate as your fingernails grow.
143. As they move against or towards each other, parts of the plates can get “stuck”, and stress builds up over a long period of time.
144. Eventually, this stress becomes too much and the plates jolt or slip back into place.
145. That releases the huge amounts of energy experienced in an earthquake.
146. If this occurs beneath the ocean, this movement can displace water in all directions, which can then travel to the coastline as a tsunami.
149. We can bring you an update from the US state of California now, after we reported that waves had reached the shore there.
150. The first measurements from the National Tsunami Warning Center show a wave of 1.6ft (0.48m) hitting Arena Cove, where the tsunami first reached California.
151. In Monterey, where we also know the tsunami waves are hitting, a height of 1.4ft (0.42m) was recorded.
152. In Port San Luis, the Los Angeles weather service says there’s a “rapid and damaging surge, going from low to high tide in just a few minutes”. People are asked to avoid the area.
153. Waves have also arrived in San Francisco, the National Weather Service reports.
154. In Canada, wave heights have so far remained below 1ft (0.3m), with the highest at 0.9ft in Winter Harbour, British Columbia.
157. Residents in Chocó and Nariño on the east coast of Colombia have been told to evacuate beaches and coastal areas, the country’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management says.
158. The agency says to move away from the coast to higher ground.
161. Image source, Geophysical Survey Of The Russian Academy Of Sciences Handout
162. Image caption,
163. A flooded area in Severo-Kurilsk, Sakhalin Region, Russia
164. We are tracking the latest developments as the tsunami threat continues to ripple across the Pacific Ocean – let’s bring you up to date with what we know so far:

• A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Russia – about 78 miles (126km) from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
• The tremor – which had a depth of 18km according to the US Geological Survey – is one of the strongest earthquakes ever on record
• There are no reports of any injuries or fatalities, but photos from towns and areas around the far eastern coast of Russia show buildings destroyed, ports submerged and people being evacuated by officials
• Waves generated by the tsunami have started to hit American shores along Hawaii’s islands and off the coast of northern California
• Hawaiian officials have downgraded tsunami alerts to an advisory level, and told residents that they may return home with caution
• Western US states – including Washington, Oregon and Alaska – as well as Canada’s British Columbia are on alert with waves expected to hit in the coming hours; warnings of varied levels have also been issued for Ecuador, Indonesia, Peru, Colombia and Japan
• Nearly 2 million people in Japan have been ordered to evacuate in parts of the country
• Initial waves reaching Japan have been much smaller, but its meteorological agency says they could grow to 3m (9.8ft)

Page 3

2. Further tsunami warnings have also been revised in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
3. The advisory has been cancelled by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
4. “There is no further tsunami threat to Guam, Rota, Tinian or Saipan,” the agency says.
7. The tsunami warning covering Hawaii has been downgraded to an advisory level, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says,
8. This means there is the potential of strong waves, minor flooding and strong currents, but that a major tsunami is not expected to hit. Those evacuated may return home, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency director Stephen Logan says.
9. People are advised to drive slow and be safe, while watching for flooding in some areas.
12. A tsunami advisory has been issued for most coastal areas of British Columbia, Canada’s most western province.
13. Residents are advised to avoid the ocean, follow official instructions and and wait for the all clear.
16. A tsunami threat alert has been issued for parts of the South Pacific, including Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
17. The warning comes from the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
20. Christal Hayes
21. Reporting from Los Angeles
22. 
23. It’s the early hours in Los Angeles. I’m still awake watching local news – we’ve heard that waves have reached the shore, but it seems like things could be minimal for the most part along the US West Coast.
24. I was at Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles County earlier today as news broke about the earthquake and tsunami threat.
25. George Mejia, 25, and his two cousins were packing up their longboards in their convertible when his mom called.
26. “She said, ‘Did you see there was a huge earthquake and there’s maybe gonna be a tsunami?’ I was like, ‘No, I’ve been in the water!’”
27. Instead of speeding off, the trio sat in their car and peered out at the ocean, talking about heading back in and riding tsunami waves.
28. Down on the sand, Heath Macleod, his wife and their two girls were finishing up their beach day at Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles County when I asked them about the earthquake and tsunami threat.
29. Instantly, their youngest daughter burst into tears, prompting him to say “I guess we better tail it out of here”.
30. Blue tsunami evacuation route signs line many roads along the US West Coast, informing those in these areas of a safe route to avoid a potential disaster.
33. The tsunami has reached the coast of California, according to the US National Weather Service.
34. It’s showing up in Arena Cove and Monterey in the north of the state, making its way further down, the service adds.
37. Jerome Wirawan
38. BBC Indonesia
39. The Jayapura City Disaster Management Agency in Papua has issued an appeal to coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground.
40. This is in response to the 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia. Residents and tourists in the capital of Indonesia’s easternmost province are not allowed to approach coastal areas. Fishermen are also advised not to go out to sea.
41. A local journalist tells the BBC Indonesian service that he saw several people from the coastal areas of the city heading to higher ground.
42. Previously, the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami early warning for parts of eastern Indonesia.
43. The warning covers coastal areas in North Sulawesi, North Maluku, West Papua, and Gorontalo. Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and avoid the shoreline.
46. Macclesfield resident Rachael Burrows is on a cruise ship off the coast of Hawaii.
47. She tells BBC Breakfast that they got the emergency warnings on their phone while on a tour.
48. The first one told them they were in immediate danger, she explains, and they started making their way back to the ship.
49. She says shops were closing and the traffic got bad. “It was quite scary because all the sirens started going off,” Burrows says.
50. “Everyone was just running” to get on the ship, she says, adding that she was one of the last allowed back onto the ship before it moved back out to sea, with those left behind told to move to higher ground.
51. Media caption,
52. Tsunami alert sent tourists ‘running’, says Brit on Hawaii cruise
55. Are you in an area where there are tsunami warnings? If it is safe to do so please share your experiences.
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57. In some cases a selection of your comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.
58. 
61. We’re seeing more waves reaching the Hawaiian coast on the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
62. A wave reaching 5.7ft (1.74m) has been recorded at Kahului, Maui, while one of 4.9ft (1.5m) was recorded in Hilo, Hawaii.
65. As we’ve been reporting, the powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka peninsula earlier, prompting evacuations and tsunami alerts across parts of the Pacific coast.
66. Russian state television has aired footage of tsunami waves sweeping through a coastal town in the far east of the country, carrying buildings and debris into the sea.
67. We’ve gathered some of the latest images from Russia which you can see below.
68. Image source, Geophysical Survey Of The Russian Academy Of Sciences
69. Image caption,
70. In Severo-Kurilsk, about 350 km (217 miles) south-west from the earthquake’s epicentre, local authorities said tsunami waves had crashed through the port area and submerged a fishing plant
71. Image source, Russian Emergencies Ministry
72. Image caption,
73. Emergency workers removed rubble at the site of a damaged building in Kamchatka Krai following the earthquake
74. Image source, Russian Emergencies Ministry
75. Image caption,
76. One rescue worker stands looking at the façade of another building which has partially collapsed in the earthquake
79. Japan’s Meteorological Agency says tsunami waves have reached parts of the country’s coast.
80. The areas include the Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate prefectures, the agency said in a live map on its website, which adds that it expects waves could reach as high as 3m (9ft).
81. The tallest wave so far recorded is 1.3m (4ft), observed at Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture, the agency says.
82. Thousands of people have been told to evacuate for their safety, while the public broadcaster NHK says there are no reports of major damage so far.
85. China has just lifted its tsunami alert on Shanghai and Zhejiang.
86. Taiwan’s alert still remains.
89. Image source, Reuters
90. Image caption,
91. People are relocated to a safe area in the Kamchatka region in Russia
92. 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.
93. Waves between one to three metres are possible along some coasts of Chile, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Japan and islands in the Pacific, it adds.
94. Waves of up to one metre were possible elsewhere, including Australia, Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand, Tonga and Taiwan.
95. Japan says its citizens should be on high alert, and 1.9 million people are under evacuation orders.
96. 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”
97. On the US west coast, the US National Weather Service is telling people to avoid beaches, harbours and marinas.
98. Chinese authorities have issued a tsunami alert for Zhejiang province and Shanghai city, saying they expect waves of up to one metre.
99. In Peru, officials have issued a tsunami warning and are keeping “constant surveillance” on the situation.
102. As we’ve just reported, a wave of 4ft has been recorded at Haleiwa, Oahu.
103. In the latest update from the island’s emergency management, people are warned to remain outside the evacuation zone until further notice.
104. It adds that tsunami waves are currently impacting the state and the tsunami warning remains in effect.
105. They are told not to re-enter until officials say it’s safe, the update adds.
106. The evacuation zone wraps around the entire coastline.
109. Max Matza
110. Live reporter
111. For the last 30 years, David Dorn has lived one block away from the ocean in the coastal city of Kihei in Maui, and is no stranger to tsunami warnings.
112. Dorn, 60, tells the BBC that he and his wife are treating this one differently.
113. “We try and take them all seriously, but most people kind of take them a bit lightly,” he says about the tsunami sirens which have been blaring since the alert first went out.
114. But now he and his wife are packing their two cats into their van, in which they plan to sleep in tonight after seeking higher ground at an inland shopping centre.
115. Before leaving, he’s moved his electronics up to his loft, hoping that even if seawater penetrates the building it won’t reach the rafters.
116. For now his biggest concern is traffic, as toppled electric poles could prevent cars from leaving.
117. “Traffic’s always a problem and its getting worse. And its at its worst in any emergency like this,” he says.
120. Shaimaa Khalil
121. Tokyo correspondent
122. A tsunami alert in the Fukushima area always triggers a heightened sense of concern because of the 2011 triple disaster that resulted in the nuclear meltdown.
123. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) was one of the first organisations to update that all its workers had been evacuated earlier today – with no abnormalities reported so far.
124. This is still an area of concern – because there’s still nuclear debris that’s being constantly cooled by tons of water that then gets stored in huge tanks next to the plant.
125. Japanese authorities have evacuation plans in place for those within 20 kilometres of the plant, and recommend sheltering and staying put for those 20 to 30 kilometres away.
126. We’ve seen grid locks and traffic jams as people try to evacuate affected areas – major train lines are still partially closed along the coastal areas.
129. Hawaii resident Kelsea Sheppard was speaking to the BBC a little earlier when tsunami alerts interrupted the interview.
130. Watch the moment the sirens rung out below:
133. Josh Green, governor of Hawaii, is now giving an update.
134. “So far we have not seen a wave of consequence,” he says, but they have seen significant water recede.
135. Wave activity hasn’t come past the island of Hawaii, he explains, and they expect it will be at least two to three more hours until they can give the “all clear”.
138. We’re getting more details on the waves that are hitting Hawaii now, with the tallest wave measured by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center recorded at Haleiwa, Oahu.
139. It was 4ft (1.21m) tall, the centre says, with 12 minutes recorded in between waves.

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2. Tsunami waves are “now impacting Hawaii”, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says in an update.
3. “Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,” it adds, warning that the danger may persist for hours.
6. Electricity has been shut off after the earthquake damaged a power grid in Russia’s Sakhalin region, RIA news agency reported, citing its regional governor.
7. As we reported earlier, Sakhalin has declared a state of emergency in its northern Kuril Islands, while videos show tsunami waves inundating a port town.
8. Authorities say everyone in the area had been evacuated to safety.
11. A wave has passed through the Midway Atoll island between Japan and Hawaii at 6ft (1.8m), Hawaii governor Josh Green says.
12. He says this was from the trough to peak of the wave.
13. “We’re still expecting a significant wave,” he adds, and they will only give the all clear when they feel there is “total safety”.
16. In a briefing a little earlier, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi says the city is under a full tsunami alert, and calls for people in low lying areas to get to higher ground.
19. Regan Morris
20. Reporting from Los Angeles
21. As Maui braces for the impact of tsunami waves, water is being shut off in many parts of the Hawaiian island.
22. The County of Maui Department of Water Supply says they will be closing off valves along coastal areas “out of an abundance of caution”.
23. People are encouraged to store water and to expect low or no water pressure until the valves were reopened, it says.
24. The County of Maui also shut down several wastewater pump stations and facilities in Lahaina, Kihei and Central Maui “to prevent damage amid the tsunami warning”.
27. From Tokyo to Hawaii, from California to New Zealand, millions are on high alert amid fears of tsunamis.
28. If you’re just joining us, here’s a roundup of the massive earthquake off the Russian coast and tsunami warnings currently in place across the Pacific:

• A magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit far-eastern Russia at 11:25 local time, causing several minor injuries and widespread flooding
• Tsunami waves are expected to arrive at Hawaii’s shores shortly, after Japan’s northern coast saw waves of 40cm
• Japan has ordered 1.9 million Japanese people to evacuate, warning that tsunami waves could continue for more than a day
• California has asked people to stay away from the coast
• China, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Zealand and even Peru and Mexico have issued tsunami alerts

1. Stay with us as we bring you all the latest updates.
4. The US coastguard in Honolulu has issued an order for evacuation of commercial vessels from Hawaiian ports, with all harbours closed to incoming traffic.
5. Any vessels near Hawaii should remain offshore until tsunami waves have passed, the coastguard statement said.
6. Several flights bound for Hawaii have also been diverted mid-air, with many being redirected back to their airports of origin, according to flight tracking websites.
9. Max Matza
10. Live reporter
11. Image source, Supplied
12. After watching the water level at the beach recede, lifelong Maui resident Felicia Johnson tells BBC News that she can now see it rising significantly.
13. “The water’s rising. It’s eerily weird,” says Johnson, 47, while packing her truck to spend a night with her family and friends in the mountains.
14. She compares the situation to the fire that hit Lahaina two years ago, devastating the island and her family.
15. “We went through this with the fires, and there was no warning, and it was just so devastating. Now, we have so much warning that if we don’t go it’s our fault.”
16. This time round, she plans to sleep in the truck, with her husband and two dogs. She’s also bringing knives, in case they encounter any wild pigs in the forest.
19. Shaimaa Khalil
20. Tokyo correspondent
21. More than 1.9 million people have been asked to evacuate in Japan. Around 10,500 of these people are in Hokkaido, where local media footage shows people gathering on a rooftop.
22. Some also gathered in an observatory overlooking the beach in Chiba south of Tokyo.
23. Authorities have continued to urge residents on Japan’s east coast to evacuate to higher ground.
24. Dozens of waves have been observed across Japan’s Pacific coast. Evacuation warnings now span hundreds of kilometres/miles along its pacific coast – from Hokkaido in the north to Wakayama prefecture in the south.
25. The Meteorological agency said that tsunami waves could reach up to 3 metres high.
28. Russia’s Sakhalin region has declared a state of emergency in the northern Kuril Islands and the Severo-Kurilsk district.
29. Kuril Islands mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov said that “everyone” in the area had been evacuated. “There was enough time, a whole hour. So everyone was evacuated, all the people are in the tsunami safety zone,” he said, AFP reported.
30. Meanwhile, video has emerged of tsunami waves inundating a port town of Severo-Kurilsk.
31. Media caption,
32. Moment tsunami waves hit a coastal town in Russia
35. As we just reported, China is one of several countries to have issued tsunami warnings following the 8.8 earthquake of Russia’s far eastern coast.
36. China’s tsunami warning centre said that waves of between 30cm and 1-metre are expected to hit the country’s eastern coast.
37. “Based on the latest warning and analysis results, the Tsunami Advisory Center of the Ministry of National Resources has determined that the earthquake has triggered a tsunami, which is expected to cause damage to certain coastal areas of China,” the centre said.
40. A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula at about 11:25am local time on Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in the US and Japan.
41. 
42. As Helen Janiszewski, assistant professor in geophysics and tectonics division at the University of Hawaii told the BBC, “a good rule of thumb for tsunami waves is that they travel at about the speed of a jet plane.”
43. So if you think of how long it would take to travel by plane from one place to another, that is how long it takes for waves to travel from the quake epicentre to hit elsewhere, she says.
46. We may have seen the first tsunami waves in Japan – but the risk is far from over. That’s the message from Japanese officials.
47. In the last few moments, the Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a statement saying that major tsunamis could be expected for more than a day after the earthquake in Russia.
48. “Tsunamis are still being observed, and there is a risk of damage from tsunamis,” it says. “Tsunamis can strike suddenly. Please do not leave safe places until the warning is lifted.
49. “When the tsunami coincides with high tide, there is a possibility that the water level will rise further than it currently is,” the official statement reads.
52. Fears of a tsunami after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia have triggered evacuations across Russia, Japan and Hawaii.
53. Tsunami advisories have also been issued in countries including the Philippines, Indonesia and New Zealand, warning people to stay away from beaches.
54. Media caption,
55. Watch: Major earthquake off Russia triggers widespread tsunami warnings
58. As we reported earlier, at least three tsunami waves have flooded parts of the Russian port town Severo-Kurilsk, in the country’s Sakhalin region.
59. We’re now getting some photos of flood waters surging onto shore.
60. The town has a population of around 2,000 people.
61. Image source, Reuters
62. Image caption,
63. Tsunami waves surge past buildings in Severo-Kurilsk
64. Image source, Reuters
65. Image caption,
66. At least three tsunami waves have hit the Russian port town
69. The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky International Airport is operating normally after the massive earthquake, according to a fresh statement , externalfrom the airport authorities.
70. Flights are still going on schedule, and the runway is in “satisfactory condition” – though the quake damaged ceiling panels in the airport, authorities said.
71. Passengers in the waiting room were temporarily evacuated, and one person was injured in the earthquake, they added.
74. The Philippines and Indonesia have also issued tsunami advisories, expecting smaller waves than other areas but urging residents to avoid shorelines.
75. The Philippine volcanology and seismology agency released a tsunami advisory on Wednesday, following the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off Kamchatka, Russia. It said tsunami waves of less than 1 meter are expected to arrive on Wednesday early afternoon (Manila time). Residents in more than 20 provinces have been cautioned against going near beaches and coastal areas.
76. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami early warning for parts of eastern Indonesia. The warning covers coastal areas in North Sulawesi, North Maluku, West Papua, and Gorontalo. Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and avoid the shoreline. As of Wednesday morning, no evacuation orders had been issued.
79. We’re getting some images of vehicles departing Waikiki beach in Oahu, Hawaii after a tsunami alert was issued in the US state.
80. As we’ve just reported, authorities there said the first tsunami waves to hit Hawaii could still be a few hours away.
81. Image source, Getty Images
82. Image source, Reuters
83. Image caption,
84. Honolulu resident Adam Jung loads water and other supplies into his vehicle
85. Image source, Reuters
86. Image caption,
87. Traffic builds up along a highway in Honolulu
90. Over the last few hours, the US and Japan have been among countries that have issued tsunami warnings and evacuation orders, as one of the most powerful earthquakes in history, at magnitude 8.8, struck off the coast of Russia.

• In Japan, the first tsunami waves have been observed, with height of up to 40cm on the coast of Hokkaido, the island prefecture next to Russia – there are no injuries so far
• Evacuation orders are also in place for the Pacific coast of Japan, which could see up to 3m high waves
• Workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant – damaged in the 2011 tsunami – have been evacuated
• In the US, officials in Hawaii and California are warning the public to stay away from beaches and low-lying areas
• California experts say it’s unlikely to see catastrophic casualties in the Americas, while the Hawaii governor asks the public to stay calm
• In Russia, several people suffered minor injuries in Russia’s far east, while tsunami waves flooded part of the Severo-Kurilsk
• According to the US Geological Survey, at magnitude 8.8 this earthquake is tied as the sixth most severe quake in history

3. With a tsunami warning in place for Hawaii and advisories in Alaska and the US’s Pacific coast, here’s the difference between the two:
4. Tsunami warnings alert the public of potentially dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents, urging them to steer clear of the water and move to higher ground or inland.
5. Tsunami advisories are lower level alerts of strong currents or waves dangerous to people in or near the water. These advise the public to stay out of the water and away from beaches.
6. Image source, EPA

Page 5

2. According to Agence France Presse, tsunami warnings have also been issued in Peru and for the Galapagos Islands, off Ecuador, where some “preventative” evacuations are taking place.
3. South America’s west coast is about 13,000km (8,000 miles) away from where the quake struck on the Russian peninsula of Kamchatka.
4. Closer to the epicentre, tsunami waves are also expected to hit parts of eastern China, authorities there said.
7. Three tsunami waves have hit the Russian port town of Severo-Kurilsk, the last of which damaged port infrastructure and pulled several moored ships out into the straits.
8. The third wave was “powerful”, the state’s TASS news agency said.
9. We earlier reported that the waves had flooded part of the town. Residents have gathered on a hill and will remain there until the tsunami threat is over, TASS said.
12. Peter Bowes
13. North America correspondent
14. It will be a long night along the entire West Coast of the US as we brace for the impact of what could be a powerful tsunami, although it is unlikely to be catastrophic.
15. Hawaii and areas south and southeast Alaska are under the highest level of warning, which means people should take urgent action to protect life and property, by moving to higher ground.
16. California, Oregon and Washington are subject to a lower grade advisory which warns of strong currents and dangerous waves.
17. Tsunamis generally hit over a period of hours, so the full extent of any damage may not be known until the early hours of Wednesday, local time. At this stage it is not certain that western states will be affected, but we should get a good idea over the next three hours, when the first strong waves could hit Hawaii.
20. Shaimaa Khalil
21. Tokyo correspondent
22. Japan’s evacuation warnings now span hundreds of kilometres along a wide swathe of its Pacific coast – from Hokkaido in the north to Wakayama prefecture in the south.
23. The meteorological agency had warned that tsunami waves could reach up to 3 metres high.
24. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the company which operates the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, has said that all workers have been evacuated – adding that there were no abnormalities reported so far.
25. The power plant suffered a nuclear meltdown in 2011 following an huge earthquake and tsunami disaster.
26. Japan’s prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has said that a task force is in place to assess the situation reiterating warnings for those in the affected areas.
29. Regan Morris
30. Reporting from Los Angeles
31. Seismologist Dr Lucy Jones says the tsunami could damage harbours and waterfront property in Hawaii – and possibly in California – but it is not expected to cause a catastrophic loss of life anywhere in the Americas.
32. Tsunami waves in Hawaii are predicted to be 3-10 feet, while in Santa Barbara, the wave height is predicted to be 1-2 feet. For comparison, in Japan in 2011 some wave heights were 42 feet, Jones said.
33. “It’s not a wave,” she said. “That’s how much the sea level rises temporarily.”
34. Crescent City in northern California is expected to get 6-foot waves in its harbour, she added.
35. The predicted wave height for Santa Barbara is higher than that for Washington or British Columbia in Canada – even though California is further away – because of the pattern forming in the ocean, she said.
36. Dr Jones said she’d been speaking with a camp counselor on Catalina Island – off the coast of Los Angeles – where waves are expected to hit around 01:00 local time (09:00 BST).
37. “They’re not evacuating,” she said, adding that even though the threat was minimal, they might decide to move campers away from the closest beachfront cabins.
40. Jake Lapham
41. US reporter
42. Media caption,
43. Hawaii motorists drive for higher ground after tsunami alert
44. I’ve just been speaking to DL Scales, who is holidaying in Wailea, Maui, as he was stuck in traffic along with dozens of other holidaymakers trying to reach higher ground.
45. Hawaii is currently under a tsunami warning, with officials warnings of “destructive” waves.
46. “It’s relatively calm, everyone is trying to get out, I don’t know where people are going,” he tells me.
47. “They did sound sirens a few minutes ago, which initiated people to start driving away.”
48. He says the only people panicking are some tourists.
51. “If you’re watching us right now, no doubt you understand that we are under a full tsunami alert right now,” an emergency official says during a press conference in Honolulu.
52. “We are a couple of hours away from any impact to Hawaii,” he says. “Pay attention, listen,” he says.
55. Josh Green, the governor of Hawaii, is speaking now. He says: “I ask that you stay calm. if you are in a low-lying ara please get to higher ground,” he says.
56. He says the roads are full, he asks that people stay calm, co-operate and get to higher ground.
57. “If you are in a safe place please stay there, and if you’re not, please get to higher ground.”
60. Regan Morris
61. Reporting from Los Angeles
62. 
63. Image caption,
64. Roger Pleasanton pictured when he was interviewed 2023
65. Sirens and phone alerts are blaring across Maui, and Maui-based bagpipe player Roger Pleasanton told the BBC he was relieved to get so many alerts.
66. “At least we know it’s working. The emergency services are working,” he said while lining up to buy diesel for his vehicle. “As we know it didn’t work during the fires.”
67. Pleasanton was the resident bagpipe player at Fleetwood’s – a Maui institution owned by Mick Fleetwood – which was destroyed in the 2023 Maui wildfires. Before the fires, he played his pipes at sunset most days on the deck of the bar.
68. We interviewed Pleasanton at the time as his home on Maui. While many dream of owning a bit of waterfront property in Hawaii, Pleasanton says today he’s especially relieved that he lives in the lush hills – on high ground.
69. “The traffic’s like New York City right now,” he said. “I was going to go to the grocery store, but I think I may have to skip the groceries and get out of here.”
72. Residents in many parts of Japan are under evacuation orders to seek high ground and stay away from the coasts.
73. This is a clip of people sheltering on top of a building in Mukawa, in Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture.
74. Media caption,
75. Watch: People evacuate onto the top of a building in Japan
78. Speaking to the BBC’s Newsday programme a short while ago, Helen Janiszewski, Assistant Professor, Geophysics and Tectonics Division at the University of Hawaii said that today’s earthquake ranks among the ten most severe in recorded history. According to the US Geological Survey, external, at magnitude 8.8 it is tied at the sixth most severe quake in history, with the 2010 earthquake in Biobío, Chile, and the 1906 earthquake in Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
79. The USGS says of the Chile earthquake, “Occurring offshore near the city of Quirihue, this intense earthquake killed 523 people and destroyed more than 370,000 homes.”
80. Of the Ecuador earthquake, it says, “Referred to as the Ecuador-Colombia earthquake, this quake produced a strong tsunami that killed 1,500 and reached as far north as San Francisco.”
81. Interestingly, the fifth most severe earthquake was, like today’s, in Kamchatka Krai, Russia. It was in 1952 and was “the world’s first recorded magnitude 9 earthquake.”
82. It “triggered a massive tsunami that struck Hawaii, causing over $1 million in damages.”
85. The first photos of a damaged kindergarten in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are coming through.
86. As we reported earlier, the regional minister for emergency situations Sergei Lebedev said that the earthquake was one of the “strongest in decades”.
87. Image source, Reuters
90. Tsunami waves have flooded part of the Russian port town of Severo-Kurilsk, according to Russia’s emergencies ministry.
91. The town has a population of around 2,000 people.
92. Videos on social media appear to show water surging inland near the town.
95. Image source, Reuters
96. Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini nuclear plant have been evacuated and moved to higher ground, according to a statement from the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).
97. The Fukushima Daiichi plant was the site of a major nuclear disaster following the devastating 9.0 magnitude Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
98. TEPCO added that there have been no injuries or abnormalities recorded at the plants, but that they will continue to monitor tsunami warnings.
99. Earlier this week, TEPCO announced that the full-scale removal of fuel debris could be delayed by 12 to 15 years – to allow enough time for radiation levels to decrease.
102. US President Donald Trump has just posted about the tsunami warning in Hawaii and advisories in Alaska and the US’ pacific coast.
103. “Please visit tsunami.gov/, external for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!” he posted on Truth Social and X.
104. Tsunami warnings alert people to the possibility of dangerous powerful currents, while urging them to move to higher ground or inland. The lower-level advisories warn of strong currents and urge people to stay out of water and away from the beaches.
107. Sirens sounded in Honolulu after officials in Hawaii ordered an “immediate evacuation” of large parts of the island Oahu, of which Honolulu is the capital.
108. “Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves are expected,” Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management also said in alerts on social media. Watch below:
109. Media caption,
110. Watch: Tsunami sirens blare in Honolulu
113. No casualties or damage have been reported so far, says Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
114. Tsunami waves of between 30cm and 40cm have hit parts of northern Japan so far, with authorities warning of larger, subsequent waves.
117. Wednesday’s earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula was the strongest since 1952, with authorities warning of “strong aftershocks”.
118. “Significant, noticeable aftershocks with magnitudes up to 7.5 are expected to continue for at least another month,” the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences has warned.
119. The peninsula has already been rocked by a series of earthquakes in the last 10 days.
120. On 20 July, it recorded a series of five earthquakes, including one with a magnitude of 7.4 near Kamchatka’s capital Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
121. Image source, Getty Images
122. Image caption,
123. An earlier photo of the coastline in the Kamchatka region
126. Several people were injured in Russia’s far east after this morning’s earthquake which struck the remote Kamchatka peninsula, the state’s TASS news agency reports.
127. Some sustained injuries while evacuating, including a woman who jumped out of a window. The region’s health minister Oleg Melnikov has said all of them are “in satisfactory condition”.
128. “No serious injuries have been reported at this time,” he said.
131. The earthquake that struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula has been upgraded to an 8.8 magnitude tremor, according to the United States Geological Survey.
132. It was previously recorded as an 8.7 magnitude earthquake.

Page 6

2. We’ve got more on the tsunami in Hokkaido. Estimates put it at about 30cm (12in), and it hit Nemuro, a port city in the north-eastern part of Hokkaido.
3. Japanese authorities warned earlier that the subsequent waves could be higher.
6. The tsunami has hit the northern part of Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture, local broadcaster NHK says.
9. Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba says authorities are “working to assess the situation”, adding that any relief efforts will “put human lives first”.
10. There is no confirmation of any damage so far, he says, urging residents under evacuation orders to seek high ground and stay away from the coasts.
11. Image source, Reuters
12. Image caption,
13. Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba
16. Three-metre (10 ft) tsunami waves could hit Ecuador following the tremor, according to the US Tsunami warning center.
17. As we just reported, tsunami warnings have been issued for several countries along with Pacific Ocean coastlines.
20. Officials in Hawaii have ordered an “immediate evacuation” of large parts the island Oahu, including the state capital Honolulu.
21. “Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves are expected,” Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management says in alerts on social media.
24. Image source, Reuters
25. Japan has also urged residents in affected areas to evacuate immediately. Its evacuation warnings now span hundreds of kilometres along a wide swathe of its coastal regions.
26. “Escape to a higher, safe location right away.The time of the tsunami’s arrival is just an estimate. Waves could actually arrive sooner or later. Continue to evacuate as long as the warning is in place,” authorities say in an alert.
27. Meterologists have forecasted that tsunami waves could reach as high as 3-4m.
30. The 8.7 magnitude earthquake struck about 78 miles (126km) from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, at a depth of 18 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey.
31. The tremor generated a tsunami of 3-4 metres in Kamchatka, according to Sergei Lebedev, the regional minister for emergency situations.
32. There were no injuries, but a kindergarten was damaged, according to preliminary information, Lebedev added.
33. “Today’s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,” Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.
36. Here’s a list of places for which tsunami alerts have been issued:

• Japan: Warnings have been issued for coastal regions from Hokkaido to Kyushu while lower-level advisories are in place in other parts of the country
• All of US West Coast
• Portions of Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands
• Hawaii
• Guam

3. A massive 8.7 magnitude earthquake has struck off Russia’s fareastern coast, triggering tsunami warnings across parts of Russia, Japan and United States.
4. Follow us for more developments on this breaking story.