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A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s far eastern coast has triggered tsunami warnings and advisories across the Pacific, affecting regions from Hawaii and California to Japan and Russia.
The entire west coast of the U.S. as well as Guam, the Philippines, and the Northern Mariana Islands, have been alerted to watch for signs of dangerous waves, and parts of Canada, Russia, Indonesia, and Japan are also under tsunami alerts.
The National Tsunami Warning Center has upgraded the tsunami advisory to a tsunami warning for Northern California’s coast from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon border, including Crescent City, where waves of 2 to 5ft could arrive around 11.50 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
The rest of the California coast remains under a lower-level advisory, with smaller waves expected but still dangerous conditions. Crescent City is especially at risk, having suffered deadly tsunami damage in 1964.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the earthquake hit just before 1.30 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time, at about 78 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia.
Tsunami warning sirens sounded in Honolulu after Hawaii was upgraded from a tsunami watch to a tsunami warning, according to the Associated Press. Governor Josh Green has issued an emergency proclamation, activating response centres across the state and urging residents to take the situation seriously.
“Tsunami Warning Updated – Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,” Oahu’s Department of Emergency Management said in a post. “Go to http://hnlalert.gov for wave arrival time. EVACUATE coastal areas in PRIMARY EVACUATION ZONE.”
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Tsunami alerts have been issued for parts of Hawaii, Alaska, California and in Japan and Russia, after an 8.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded off the coast of Russia on Tuesday (AFP via Getty Images)
The local government on Maui warned residents that the first waves of a tsunami may not be the largest, and also noted that those living on shorelines that aren’t facing the direction of the tsunami’s arrival are still at risk.
“Tsunami waves efficiently wrap around islands,” the county government wrote in an advisory. “All shores are at risk no matter which direction they face.”
Commercial flights at Hilo International Airport have been suspended to aid emergency evacuations in nearby areas like Keaukaha as Hawaii prepares for a potential tsunami, the Hawaii Department of Transportation said.
According to emergency officials, the first wave is expected at 7.17 p.m. local time. On Kauai, authorities are urging the public to stay out of Hanalei to keep evacuation routes clear.
President Donald Trump acknowledged the tsunami alerts in a post 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!” he wrote.
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A woman watches a television broadcast of a tsunami warning for much of coastal Japan following an 8.8 magnitude quake in the sea off eastern Russia, outside a gaming shop in central Tokyo on 30 July 2025 (AFP via Getty Images)
Officials in Hawaii have told people to seek higher ground. Mr Green urged residents on social media to “please take this situation seriously”.
The earthquake was initially reported as a magnitude 8.0, but the U.S. Geological Survey upgraded the earthquake to an 8.7 and later an 8.8.
A tsunami watch is issued when there is a potential for a tsunami to develop. That alert can be upgraded to an advisory if monitors have reason to believe that the waves generated by a potential tsunami are likely to be dangerous.
A tsunami warning is issued when widespread water inundation or significant coastal flooding is expected from a confirmed tsunami.
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A tsunami evacuation area sign along a winding road in Waipio Valley, Big Island, Hawaii (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Anyone living in or visiting Hawaii who wants to know if they’re in an evacuation zone can find that information at honlulu.gov/tsunamievac, though several social media users complained on Tuesday night that the websites linked by the department were inaccessible, possibly due to server strain.
The National Weather Service in the San Francisco Bay Area also published a post telling anyone in the area to keep up with developing news, as waves from a potential tsunami could arrive just after midnight local time.
“TSUNAMI WATCH in effect for the California coast. Estimated time of arrival as early as 12:15 AM on July 30. People along the coast: Stand by for further updates,” the post says.
California governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X: “We encourage everyone to stay alert and follow guidance from local emergency personnel.”
Huntington Beach in southern California has closed its beaches, harbours, and pier as a precaution. While there are no evacuation orders, officials are urging people to avoid the coast and stay out of the water.
Rising waters and strong currents may affect Southern California, though widespread flooding is unlikely, according to the National Weather Service. It warned that tsunamis often come in a series of waves over several hours, with the first wave not necessarily being the largest.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management directed those in the potential path of any tsunami to its resource page.
“The National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a Tsunami Watch for San Francisco following the 8.7 earthquake in Kamchatka. A Tsunami Watch means the danger of a tsunami affecting San Francisco is not yet known,” the department said in a post. “The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management is monitoring the situation and will send out additional information when available. Visit http://sf.gov/tsunami for guidance and an interactive map of the tsunami hazard zone.”
Canadian officials have issued a tsunami watch for parts of coastal British Columbia.
Several people were injured in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, and much of Japan’s eastern coastline was placed under evacuation orders. “Today’s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,” Kamchatka governor Vladimir Solodov said.
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In this image taken from a video released by Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers inspect a kindergarten damaged by an earthquake in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, Wednesday, 30 July 2025 (AP)
Tsunami waves reaching 3-4m were reported in parts of Kamchatka, according to Sergei Lebedev, the region’s emergency minister.
Japan has also issued a tsunami advisory following the earthquake. Japanese meteorological officials believe a potential tsunami could inundate parts of the coastline up to a yard, according to CBS News. The Kamchatka peninsula in Russia is also facing a tsunami threat, according to NOAA.
More than 1.9 million people across 21 Japanese prefectures have been urged to evacuate as tsunami waves reach the country’s coastline, though the waves are currently much smaller than initially feared, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
The largest evacuations are in Hokkaido, Kanagawa, and Wakayama.
Tsunami waves of 30 to 50 cm have been recorded, far below the 3m forecast, but authorities warn that larger waves may still arrive.
As a precaution, the airport in the northern Japanese city of Sendai has been closed. Its runway, located near the coast, was inundated during the devastating 2011 tsunami. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said that parts of three expressways have also been shut, and train services on 41 lines have been suspended.
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A traffic jam forms in Honolulu as people heed a tsunami evacuation warning that coincided with rush hour following a powerful earthquake in Russia’s Far East early Wednesday (AP)
“We ask that everyone in areas where an alert has been issued immediately evacuate to a safe place, such as high ground or an evacuation building,” Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a statement. “Even if a tsunami arrives, there is a chance that second and third waves will arrive, which will be even larger, so I ask that you pay close attention to information regarding tsunamis and do not leave safe locations until the warning is lifted.”
The Philippines and Indonesia have also issued tsunami warnings. Tsunami waves under 1 metre are expected to reach parts of the Philippines and Indonesia on Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLS) said in an updated advisory.
The powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off Russia’s remote far eastern coast on Wednesday is tied as the sixth-strongest ever recorded.
It shares this rank with the deadly 2010 quake in Chile, which left more than 500 people dead and caused widespread destruction, as well as the 1906 earthquake off Ecuador and Colombia that triggered a tsunami, killing up to 1,500 people.