The recent major earthquake has generated tsunami waves, some several feet in height, that are impacting coastlines globally.
Tsunami advisories and warnings of varying levels have been issued for countries in the Pacific Ocean region.
While the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, authorities are generally recommending that residents in vulnerable areas move to higher ground and stay away from coastal regions.
The following countries have experienced tsunamis following the significant seismic event.
Russia
In Russia, the earthquake’s epicenter was located, generating tsunami waves of 10-13 ft (3-4 m) that struck the far eastern port town of Severo-Kurilsk around 8:25 a.m. local time (4:25 p.m. ET, Tuesday). The town, with a population of approximately 2,000, was evacuated.
Video footage has emerged showing flooded buildings as the waves reached the shore. According to reports from the state news agency, the mayor indicated that the town was hit by three waves, with the final wave being the most forceful. Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations reported via Telegram that, in addition to the port town, a fish processing plant in Alaid also experienced “partial flooding.”
Japan
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings for the country’s Pacific coast on Wednesday at 9:40 a.m. local time (8:40 p.m. ET, Tuesday), forecasting waves as high as 3 meters. As of 5 p.m. local time, the agency has observed tsunami activity along Japan’s eastern coastline, including a 1.3-meter wave recorded in Kuji Port shortly before 2 p.m. (1 a.m. ET).
Earlier, waves measuring 30 cm were recorded in several areas of Hokkaido, the northern island. Reuters shared video footage showing large waves impacting the island’s coastline.
Currently, there are no reports of any damage caused by the tsunami. However, according to public broadcaster NHK, authorities in Tokyo are still advising people to stay away from the sea. Several beaches in the country have been evacuated.
JMA official Kiyomoto Masashi stated, according to NHK, that a single tsunami can have a lengthy cycle of approximately one hour, and the effects of tsunamis can persist for a considerable duration following the earthquake that generated them.
U.S.
Alaska
The tsunami has generated waves that have been detected along the Pacific side of the Alaskan peninsula, according to the . Waves smaller than a foot have been measured in Amchitka and Adak islands, and are also being observed in the coastal city of Saint Paul.
California
California’s first tsunami waves were recorded shortly after 1 a.m. PT (4 a.m. ET). Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicated that water levels in Crescent City, located in Northern California near Oregon, rose by up to 1.5 feet.
NWS Bay Area reported similar timing for the arrival of tsunami waves , while NWS Los Angeles described the tsunami as “,” while adding previously that “widespread inundation is not expected” for Southern California residents.
Guam
The reported that waves as high as one foot have been observed in Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific. Waves of similar height are expected to continue, but are predicted to gradually diminish over the coming hours.
Hawaii
According to NOAA , the Hawaiian Islands started experiencing waves around 7:30 p.m. HST (1:30 a.m. ET), with waves measuring as high as 5.7 ft (1.74 m) detected in Kahului, Maui, arriving in 34-minute intervals.
Gov. Josh Green stated in a that “so far we have not seen a wave of consequence, which is a great relief to us.”
Data gathered from the Midway Atoll, located between Japan and Hawaii, recorded waves reaching 1.8 meters. Green noted that the waves that could impact Hawaii could be larger or smaller than those observed at Midway Atoll.
“We expect to be about two to three hours at least until we can call ‘all clear,’” Green said around 8:30 p.m. (2:30 a.m. ET). “So far though, at the moment, so good.”
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