8.7 Quake Strikes Russia, Pacific Regions on Tsunami Alert

Moneylife Digital Team 30 July 2025

Consumer Interest

A powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 8.7 struck off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday morning, damaging buildings and triggering tsunami waves up to four metres high. The quake prompted widespread alerts and evacuations across several Pacific nations.

Authorities in the remote Kamchatka region reported multiple injuries after tsunami waves measuring between three and four metres reached parts of the coastline. Officials described it as the strongest earthquake to hit the region since 1952. Residents were urged to evacuate low-lying areas immediately.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake was shallow, occurring at a depth of 19.3km and centred about 119km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The initial magnitude was revised upward from 8.0 to 8.8 before being finalised at 8.7. A significant aftershock, measuring magnitude 6.9, followed shortly after.

In Japan, authorities issued evacuation orders along much of the eastern coastline. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that tsunami waves of up to three metres could reach wide areas of the Pacific coast. The region remains sensitive to seismic events following the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

Tsunami sirens rang out in numerous coastal towns as officials urged residents to move to higher ground. Public broadcaster NHK showed images of people sheltering on rooftops and under tents in Hokkaido, while fishing boats were seen leaving ports to avoid damage.

Workers were temporarily evacuated from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the site of the 2011 nuclear disaster, according to operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). Chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi later confirmed that no injuries, damage, or abnormalities were reported at any nuclear facilities in Japan. Only small tsunami waves were recorded.

Further across the Pacific, sirens sounded in Honolulu as authorities in Hawaii ordered evacuations in parts of Oahu. Officials in both Hawaii and California urged residents to stay away from beaches and low-lying coastal areas. Hawaii remains under an active tsunami warning, with forecasts warning of 'destructive' waves.

In the US, president Donald Trump advised residents in Alaska and along the Pacific coast to remain vigilant and heed all official warnings.

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