A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 30, triggering widespread tsunami warnings and evacuations across the Pacific region. The undersea quake occurred at a shallow depth of 19 kilometers, with its epicenter located about 120 kilometers southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The tremor was followed by significant wave activity, prompting responses in multiple countries.

In Russia’s Kuril Islands, waves reached up to 5 meters in the coastal town of Severo-Kurilsk. The tsunami caused flooding, damage to port infrastructure, and washed several vessels inland. Authorities evacuated residents swiftly, and no fatalities have been reported so far in the region.

In Japan, over 1.9 million people were ordered to evacuate coastal areas as tsunami waves measuring up to 1.3 meters reached shorelines. Emergency services were mobilized, and operations at the Fukushima nuclear plant were temporarily halted for safety inspections, which later confirmed no damage or radiation leaks. One casualty was reported in Mie Prefecture, where a woman died after her vehicle plunged off a cliff during the evacuation process.

Tsunami waves also reached Hawaii, with heights of up to 1.7 meters observed. Initial evacuation orders were issued, and flights were briefly suspended from Honolulu before the situation stabilized and warnings were downgraded. On the U.S. West Coast, including California, Oregon, and Washington, tsunami advisories led to beach closures and safety alerts. In Crescent City, California, minor tidal surges were recorded with wave heights close to half a meter, but no significant damage was reported.

Alerts extended across the Pacific, including to French Polynesia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Chile, and Mexico. Some models had warned of wave heights as high as 4 meters in isolated locations. Many of these warnings have now been lifted or downgraded as wave intensity diminished and the threat receded.

Geologists confirmed that the quake struck along a megathrust fault where the Pacific Plate is subducting beneath the North American Plate, an area known for producing extremely powerful earthquakes and tsunamis. Authorities remain on high alert for aftershocks and potential secondary waves.

The coordinated international response and early warning systems helped minimize damage and prevent large-scale casualties. Monitoring continues across the Pacific basin as experts assess the long-term impacts of the quake and any residual seismic activity.