Tsunami hits Hawaii and US mainland

Tsunami alerts were triggered this morning across the Pacific after an earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The quake, one of the most powerful ever recorded with a magnitude of 8.8, prompted evacuations from Hawaii, California, Japan and Russia. Initial waves, however, have so far proved less destructive than originally feared.

Waves up to 4ft high were recorded in Oahu and Maui. Flights to and from Maui were canceled and commercial harbors closed as a precaution. “God willing, these waves will not hurt us,” said Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green. “But you have to assume they will be life-threatening.” Hawaii’s tsunami alert was later downgraded to an advisory, with officials warning of unusually strong currents and urging residents to avoid the coast.

In California, wave heights of 3.5ft were reported near the Oregon border. Waves also reached Washington state, affecting the coastal towns of La Push and Westport. A “rapid and damaging surge” was reported at Port San Luis in California.

The tsunami has its origins in what is known as a megathrust fault, according to scientists. “These are the largest faults on Earth and are capable of generating the largest earthquakes on Earth,” Dr Rebecca Bell, associate professor in tectonics at Imperial College London, told the Times. The shallow parts of megathrust faults are underwater, meaning they pose a significant tsunami risk.

In Russia, the health minister for the Kamchatka region, Oleg Melnikov, said minor injuries were reported as residents fled. State agency TASS showed footage of a flooded fish-processing plant in Severo-Kurilsk and reported the collapse of a wall at a local kindergarten, with no casualties. TASS described it as the strongest quake in the region since 1952, when more than 1,000 people died in tsunamis. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Thank God, there were no casualties.”

In Japan, the Meteorological Agency warned that waves as high as 10ft could hit the Pacific coast. Though the waves that arrived were only around a foot high, evacuation orders remained in place for 1.9 million people, including workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Officials said tsunami risks could persist for the next 24 hours.

President Trump posted on social media urging Americans to monitor updates, writing: “STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE.”