Millions of Americans have been urged to seek higher ground and evacuate coastal areas after the world’s biggest earthquake in 14 years sparked tsunami warnings across the Pacific and sent waves crashing into Russia and Japan.
The quake reached a magnitude of 8.8 – which makes it the sixth strongest earthquake ever measured. It struck about 84 miles east-southeast of Kamchatska, off the coast of Russia, about 7.24pm EST.
Tsunami waves hit both Japan and Russia on Sunday evening while millions of Americans across Hawaii, Guam, California, Washington and Oregon are under various levels of warnings.
In Hawaii, residents have been warned to evacuate or seek shelter on the fourth floor or higher of high rise buildings.
Authorities have warned waves as high as 10 feet, or three meters, above normal tide level could tear through coastal towns within the hour.
Buildings in Russia were captured on video already under water or being entirely washed away after the first waves hit.
Several people were taken to hospital with various injuries. At least one woman sustained injuries by jumping out of a window, Russian authorities said.
It is the largest earthquake to hit since 2011, when a 9.1 megaquake hit northeast Japan and left 19,747 people either dead or missing.
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