A powerful earthquake struck Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami waves and prompting widespread alerts across the Pacific Rim. The earthquake, measuring 8.8 in magnitude, led to immediate evacuation orders and the shutdown of flights and harbors. Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov reported that the tremor was the strongest in decades, causing damage to infrastructure, including a kindergarten. The first tsunami wave hit Severo-Kurilsk, the main town in the Kuril Islands, leading to the safe evacuation of residents to higher ground.

Emergency services reported waves as high as five meters in some coastal zones. Tsunami warnings extended to the U.S. West Coast, including California, Oregon, and Alaska, as well as Hawaii, Mexico, Ecuador, and the Solomon Islands. The U.S. National Weather Service cautioned citizens to stay away from the shoreline due to the unpredictable nature of tsunami waves. The first waves reached Monterey, California, followed by surges in San Francisco and Seattle.

In Hawaii, flights in and out of Maui’s Kahului Airport were suspended, and passengers sheltered in terminals. Tsunami activity was also detected along Alaska's Aleutian Islands and the Pacific coast. Across the Pacific, Tonga activated tsunami sirens, and alerts spread across Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Japan instructed over 1.9 million people to evacuate, including residents in Hokkaido, many of whom gathered on rooftops. A state of emergency was declared in Russia’s northern Kuril Islands due to wave damage and flooding. Taiwan warned of waves up to 1 meter, while Peru, Ecuador, and other nations issued similar alerts. The U.S. Geological Survey revised the quake’s magnitude to 8.8, with the epicenter located 136 km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

The event underscores the ever-present risk of seismic activity and the importance of preparedness and swift response measures to protect lives and infrastructure.