A massive undersea earthquake registering magnitude 8.8 struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early this morning at approximately 8:25 a.m. local time (23:25 UTC).

The epicenter lay at a shallow depth of around 19–20 km, just 119–136 km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk‑Kamchatsky

The earthquake immediately triggered tsunami waves reaching up to 4 meters (13 feet) along the Russian coast, flooding Severo‑Kurilsk, sweeping vessels from their moorings and inundating port infrastructure and homes—including a kindergarten—though no fatalities have been reported

Minor injuries were sustained by several residents attempting to evacuate; all are reported in stable condition.

Across the Pacific, tsunami warnings and evacuation orders spanned multiple countries:

Japan evacuated over 900,000 people from its eastern coastline, including Fukushima, where nuclear plant staff were removed as a precaution. Observed wave heights reached up to 60 cm, though officials cautioned that larger waves might follow.

Hawaii, Alaska, and the U.S. West Coast faced tsunami warnings from the National Weather Service and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, with potential waves forecast up to 3 meters in some places and advisory levels elsewhere

Alerts also extended to Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific island nations such as Guam, Micronesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Samoa. In these regions, expected wave heights ranged from 30 cm to 1 meter.

Experts say this is the strongest earthquake recorded in the Kamchatka region since 1952, and ranks as one of the six most powerful quakes globally in modern history

The quake occurred along the Kuril–Kamchatka subduction zone, part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a highly active seismic and volcanic region

Seismologists warn of strong aftershocks, potentially reaching up to magnitude 7.5, with activity expected to persist for days or even weeks

Russian emergency officials have declared a state of emergency in the North Kuril Islands, while emergency teams are actively assessing damage, assisting affected residents and restoring services like power and communications in the affected areas. (ILKHA)