The 8.8 magnitude earthquake set off a tsunami in the northern Pacific region, prompting warnings to be issued for Alaska, Hawaii, and other coastal areas south towards New Zealand.
Reuters
On 29 July 2025, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency issued a Tsunami warning, urging citizens to take urgent caution to protect lives and property.
Tsunami warning. In effect at 243 PM HST. The estimated arrival time in Hawaii of the first tsunami wave is 0717 PM HST Tue 29 Jul 2025. Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property. Hourly updates will be posted. Stay Safe,
This tsunami warning was posted after one of the world's strongest earthquakes struck Russia's Far East early Wednesday. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake set off a tsunami in the northern Pacific region, prompting warnings to be issued for Alaska, Hawaii, and other coastal areas south towards New Zealand.
The quake was centred about 119 kilometres (74 miles) east-southeast of the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000, on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Multiple aftershocks as strong as 6.9 magnitude were recorded,
According to reports from the Associated Press, the first tsunami waves hit the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk, which is the main settlement on Russia's Kuril Islands in the Pacific.
Additionally, Japan's Meteorological Agency also reported a tsunami measuring 40 centimetres (1.3 feet), which was detected in Tokachi.
By 30 July 2025, tsunami warnings have been extended to parts of China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Guam, Peru, and the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador.
The official Twitter account for the national weather service of Los Angeles has also reported that an official tsunami advisory has now been issued, replacing the tsunami watch, as the city expects the tsunami to hit around 1 am. With this, the residents of L.A. have been warned to move off the beach and out of harbours and marinas.
The BBC also reported that residents of Maui, Hawaii, have fled to the mountains after watching the oceans rise, with one resident noting the changes as 'eerily weird'.
In Japan, the BBC is reporting that nearly 1.9 million people, of whom 10,500 are from Hokkaido, have been asked to evacuate, while Russia's Sakhalin region has now declared a state of emergency as videos showcase tsunami waves hitting a port town.
As the powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami warnings bring back a reminder of the deadly waves of 2011, Japanese officials have also stated that the risk is far from over, as major tsunamis could be expected for more than a day.
