Honolulu, HI – The powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula Tuesday evening has unleashed a relentless series of aftershocks—more than 50 strong quakes recorded within 24 hours—intensifying concerns over ongoing tsunami activity across the Pacific, including along the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii.
According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), the main earthquake hit at 6:25 p.m. CDT Tuesday with an epicenter off Kamchatka’s east coast. The quake, at a depth of 74 km, immediately triggered tsunami waves and led to widespread alerts through the UNESCO/IOC Pacific Tsunami Warning System. Dozens of aftershocks followed into Wednesday, including multiple events over magnitude 6.0, such as a 6.4 near Severo-Kurilsk and a 6.9 southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Observed tsunami wave heights include:
- 5.7 feet in Kahului, Hawaii
- 3.7 feet in Crescent City, California
- 2.8 feet in Port San Luis, California
- 3.0 feet in Hanalei, Hawaii
- 1.8 feet in Atka, Alaska
Forecast models suggest tsunami waves of up to 3 meters (10 feet) remain possible for parts of Russia, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and nearby Pacific nations. U.S. coastal regions including California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska were not placed under official tsunami warnings as of Wednesday afternoon, but authorities urged caution and temporary harbor evacuations in vulnerable low-lying areas.
The PTWC warned that tsunami waves often arrive in a series over several hours, and the most damaging may not be the first. Due to the high volume and strength of aftershocks still underway, seismic experts caution that new tsunami activity could develop quickly without warning.
Officials continue to monitor conditions, urging coastal communities across the Pacific to stay alert and follow local advisories as seismic instability in the Kamchatka region shows no immediate sign of slowing.
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