A magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday (Jul 30), sparking tsunami warnings and evacuation alerts in Japan.
Japan’s meteorological agency upgraded an earlier tsunami advisory to a tsunami warning, saying it expects waves as high as 3m to arrive along large coastal areas along the Pacific Ocean.
The weather agency, which earlier expected waves of up to 1m, warned that “tsunamis will strike repeatedly”.
“Do not enter the sea or approach the coast until the warning is lifted,” it said.
The quake occurred at 8.25am local time (7.25am Singapore time).
It was about 250km away from Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost of the country’s four big islands, and was felt only slightly, according to Japan’s NHK television.
The tsunami warning was issued along Japan’s Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Wakayama, reported NHK.
A University of Tokyo seismologist Shinichi Sakai told NHK that a distant earthquake could cause a tsunami that affects Japan if its epicenter is shallow.
Japan, part of the area known as the Pacific ring of fire, is one of the world’s most quake-prone country.
Some train services were suspended by East Japan Railway, said the Kyodo news agency.
RUSSIA AND HAWAII
A tsunami with a wave height of up to 4m was recorded in parts of Russia’s Kamchatka region, prompting evacuations and damaging buildings, officials said.
“Today’s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,” Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.
He said a kindergarten was damaged and urged people to move away from the coastline.
He also called for calm and said specialists were inspecting buildings to ensure safety.
Russia’s TASS news agency said several people suffered minor injuries, including those at a regional airport.
The US Tsunami Warning System similarly issued a warning of “hazardous tsunami waves” within the coming hours along some coasts of Russia and Hawaii. A tsunami watch was also in effect for the US island territory of Guam and other islands of Micronesia.
The US Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 19.3km.
The Honolulu Department of Emergency Management called for the evacuation of some coastal areas in Hawaii, saying “destructive” waves were expected.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/japan-tsunami-warning-earthquake-hokkaido-russia-coast-5266181
