An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday morning. The most powerful quake worldwide since the 2011 Tohoku disaster, it led to tsunami warnings for the coasts of Hokkaido and Honshu. There were also advisories for Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), waves of up to 3 meters are expected in affected regions. People have been advised to move away from coastal areas and rivers for their safety.
Citizens Warned To ‘Immediately Evacuate to Higher Ground or Safe Buildings’
“Those near the coast should evacuate immediately to higher ground or safe buildings in the areas covered by the tsunami warning from Hokkaido to Wakayama Prefecture,” said Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi. “Please be aware that after the initial wave, second and third waves of tsunamis can be even higher.”
The first waves in Japan, at 30-centimeters-high, reached Nemuro on Hokkaido’s east coast after 10 a.m. A 1.3 meter tsunami was later observed at Kuji Port in Iwata Prefecture, while a 50-centimeter tsunami was recorded at Ishinomaki Port in Miyagi Prefecture. Foreign tourists visiting the country have been advised to ask locals for help to find shelter and other assistance. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said the government “will put in our best effort in order to avoid any damage to the public.”
Japanese Nuclear Power Plants Suspend Work Schedule
Japanese nuclear power plants along the Pacific coast suspended their work schedule following the tsunami alert. So far, no injuries or abnormalities have been reported. Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which suffered major damage from the magnitude 9.1 earthquake and tsunami in 2011 said about 4,000 workers are currently taking shelter on higher ground on the plant complex. Its release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea has also been suspended.
According to the US Geological Survey, the shallow quake struck at a depth of 19.3 kilometers. It was centered around 126 kilometers east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city along Russia’s Avacha Bay. It is the strongest to hit the region since 1952. On Telegram, Kamchatka governor Vladimir Solodov described the quake as “serious and the strongest in decades of tremors.”
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