Thousands of people were evacuated from Russia’s Far East islands on Tuesday after a massive earthquake triggered a tsunami warning across the Pacific region.
The earthquake, measured at magnitude 8.8, struck off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, shaking nearby towns and prompting immediate emergency alerts. Russia’s Emergency Ministry ordered residents living in coastal areas, especially on the Kuril Islands, to move to higher ground.
The town of Severo-Kurilsk, located on one of the northern Kuril Islands, reported tsunami waves reaching up to 4 meters (13 feet). Local officials said most residents were successfully evacuated before the waves arrived.
Authorities warned people to stay at least 2 to 3 kilometers from the shoreline and to move to elevations of 30 to 40 meters above sea level until the danger passed. Military and emergency crews assisted with the evacuation efforts, and shelters were set up in safer inland areas.
So far, there have been no confirmed casualties, but officials said they are continuing to assess the situation and monitor for possible aftershocks.
The tsunami warning also affected other countries around the Pacific Ocean, including Japan, Hawaii, and the U.S. West Coast, where similar evacuation alerts were issued.
Russia’s Far East region is known for high seismic activity, and Tuesday’s quake is one of the strongest to hit the area in recent years.
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