A television screen shows a news report from the Japanese Meteorological Agency following a 8.8 magnitude quake that struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula, in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday. Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA
July 29 (UPI) — A massive earthquake struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula Wednesday morning, prompting tsunami warnings to be issued throughout the Pacific, including for much of the U.S. West Coast.
The earthquake struck at about 8:25 a.m., Japanese time, off the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Japan Meteorological Agency rated it a 8.7-magnitude temblor while the U.S. Geological Survey said it was an 8.8-magnitude strike. The U.S. survey said it struck about 74 miles east-southeast of Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula at a depth of 12.8 miles.
If confirmed as an 8.8 magnitude strike, it would be among the 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded and the largest since 2011, when a 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan, resulting in a tsunami that killed more than 18,000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
United States
A tsunami warning has been issued for Hawaii, Alaska’s Samalga Pass, and California’s west coast from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon-California border while advisories have been issued for much of the U.S. and Canadian West Coast.
According to the National Weather Service, the tsunami could cause damage all along the coastlines of all Hawaiian islands and “urgent actions should be taken to protect lives and property.”
“A tsunami has been generated that could cause damage along coastlines of all islands in the state of Hawaii,” the NWS said in a statement. “Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property.”
“Destructive” waves are expected to hit Honolulu by 7:17 p.m. HST Tuesday, according to the local department of emergency management.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a press conference about an hour after the state was being impacted by the tsunami that they have not yet been hit by “a wave of consequence” and that they have not seen “any wave activity come past the Big Island,” though they do not feel they are able to see they are in the clear for at least two to three hours.
“So far though, at the moment, so good,” he said, adding that “all clear, like I said, has not happened.”
Green has issued an emergency proclamation activating the U.S. National Guard to assist with disaster relief and for the state’s emergency services to take necessary safety actions.
In an earlier press conference, Green said they expect “significant damage” along the coastlines, and that they “we pray that we won’t lose any of our loved ones.”
“God willing these waves will not hurt us, but you have to assume — assume — they will be life threatening,” he said.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is forecasting waves of 10 feet above tide level are possible to hit the northern Hawaii islands.