First waves hit northern Japan
The first waves from the tsunami have hit the coastline of Hokkaido in northern Japan. Broadcaster NHK reported the waves measured around 30cm.
Officials in multiple countries have issued warnings that subsequent waves could be much higher.
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Updated at 22.13 EDT
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Fukushima nuclear plant workers evacuated
Workers at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeast Japan were evacuated Wednesday, according to AFP.
“We have evacuated all workers and employees” at the Fukushima Daiichi plant – which went into meltdown after being hit by a tsunami in 2011 – a spokesperson for plant operator TEPCO told the news wire, adding that “no abnormality” had been observed at the site.
ShareTsunami hits Russian port town
A tsunami hit Russia’s far east coast on Wednesday, flooding a port town home to around 2,000 people, Russia’s emergencies ministry said.
“The tsunami flooded parts of the port town of Severo-Kurilsk … The population has been evacuated,” the ministry said in a statement.
A video posted on Russian social media appeared to show buildings in the town submerged in sea water.
In this image taken from a video released by Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences, shows the aftermath of tsunami hitting the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk Photograph: APShare
Updated at 22.18 EDT
Warning for Australia
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has added Australia to its advisory, saying waves of 0.3 to 1m are possible along the coast.
However, Australia’s the Bureau of Meteorology has not issued a warning for the country.
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Photo shows damaged kindergarten in Kamchatka, Russia
A kindergarten damaged by the earthquake in Kamchatka, Russia in this screen grab from a handout video. Photograph: Administration of the Governor of Kamchatka Krai/ReutersShareFirst waves hit northern Japan
The first waves from the tsunami have hit the coastline of Hokkaido in northern Japan. Broadcaster NHK reported the waves measured around 30cm.
Officials in multiple countries have issued warnings that subsequent waves could be much higher.
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Updated at 22.13 EDT
Tsunami advisory in effect for California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska
The National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami advisory for the entire West Coast of the US up into Canada and Alaska.
The advisory stretches from California’s border with Mexico up through Oregon and Washington and into British Columbia in Canada before continuing to South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula.
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This USGS map shows the spreading tsunami warnings, advisories, watches and threats as concern spreads across the Pacific.
The map shows the 8.7 magnitude quake off the coast off Kamchatka, Russia. Photograph: NOAA/United States Department of CommerceShare
Gavin Blair
The first waves to hit Nemuro-Hanasaki Port in Hokkaido, Japan are estimated to have a height of 30cm, according to public broadcaster NHK.
People in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture and Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, two of the cities that suffered the worst devastation from the 2011 tsunami, have evacuated to the same safe spots on higher ground used by survivors of that disaster, also per NHK.
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Eva Corlett
New Zealand warns of strong currents and surges after earthquake
New Zealand can expect strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore, following an earthquake off the coast of Russia, New Zealand’s national emergency management agency (NEMA) has warned. NEMA said:
Strong currents and surges can injure and drown people. There is a danger to swimmers, surfers, people fishing, and anyone in or near the water close to shore.
People in or near the sea in the following areas should move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, marinas, rivers and estuaries.
Most of the country’s coastline is under threat, NEMA said, however there was no need for anyone to evacuate unless directly advised by local civil defence authorities.
The surges are expected to reach New Zealand around midnight local time.
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Tsunami sirens blaring in Honolulu
Tsunami warning sirens are blaring in Honolulu, AP reports. People are being told to move to higher ground, or go to the 4th floor or above in a building at least 10 storeys high.
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Bryan Manabat, a reporter in Saipan, says residents are closely monitoring the tsunami watch announcement. Saipan is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, with a population of around 43,000 people.
Manabat says after the passing of a tropical storm recently, shorelines in Saipan have seen heavy soil erosion. He says some Saipan residents living near the shoreline in Beach Road, Garapan, plan to evacuate to higher ground now and just wait for an all clear notice from authorities.
Authorities say the potential impacts of tsunami waves could be minor flooding of beach and harbour areas: strong and unusual ocean currents in bays and near other shore waters. Manabat says tsunami drills by emergency authorities have been held regularly in Saipan in recent years.
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