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CBC
16 hours ago
- Climate
- CBC
Tsunami advisory cancelled for B.C. coast after massive earthquake near Russia
A tsunami advisory for multiple parts of the B.C. coast was cancelled early Wednesday following a large earthquake in the Pacific basin near Kamchatka, Russia, on Tuesday afternoon. The U.S.-based National Tsunami Warning Centre says there was a magnitude 8.8 earthquake about 135 kilometres southeast of the Russian city of Petropavlovsk around 4:25 p.m. PT. CBC's Amelia John reports on what happened along the B.C. coastline in the hours that followed.
India Today
17 hours ago
- Climate
- India Today
US, Japan safe but South America on alert after massive quake sparks tsunami fears
Fears of a devastating tsunami faded for the US and Japan after one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck off a sparsely populated Russian peninsula, but new alerts along South America's Pacific coast forced evacuations and closed in the first hours after the 8.8 magnitude quake sent residents fleeing to rooftops in Japan and forced tourists out of beachfront hotels in Hawaii, snarling island traffic. In Russia, several people were hurt while rushing out of buildings, including a hospital patient who jumped from a of people were told to move away from the shore or seek high ground because they were potentially in the path of the tsunami waves, which struck seaside areas of Japan, Hawaii and the US West Coast but did not appear to cause any major damage. The dire warnings following the massive quake early Wednesday off Russia's Kamchatka peninsula evoked memories of catastrophic damage caused by tsunamis over the last Japan, people flocked to evacuation centres, hilltop parks and rooftops in towns on the Pacific coast with fresh memories of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused a nuclear jammed streets and highways in Honolulu, with traffic at a standstill even far from the sea.'We've got water, we got some snacks ... we're going to stay elevated,' said Jimmy Markowski, whose family from Hot Springs, Arkansas, fled their Waikiki beach resort before evacuation orders were lifted. 'This is our first tsunami warning ever. So this is all new to us.'US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the worst was over. Later Wednesday, tsunami advisories for Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon and Washington state were canceled but remained for parts of northern California, where authorities warned to stay away from beaches and advised that dangerous currents should be expected through Thursday say it's challenging to know when to drop advisories, which signal the potential for strong currents, dangerous waves and flooding.'It's kind of hard to predict because this is such an impactful event and has created so many of these waves passing by,' said Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator for the National Tsunami Warning Centre in THE WORLD'S STRONGEST RECORDED QUAKESThe earthquake appeared to be the strongest recorded since the 9.1 magnitude earthquake off Japan in 2011 caused a massive tsunami and meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency said initial reports showed Japan's nuclear plants were not affected this quake occurred along the 'Ring of Fire,' a series of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean. It was centered offshore, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka's regional capital. Multiple aftershocks as strong as 6.9 magnitude Oceanology Institute said tsunami waves of less than 6 meters (20 feet) were recorded near populated areas of the began flowing Wednesday from the Northern Hemisphere's largest volcano in a remote area of Kamchatka, the Russian Academy of Sciences' geophysical service ORDERED IN SOUTH AMERICAChile, a place highly vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis, raised its warning to the highest level early Wednesday for most of its lengthy Pacific coast and began evacuating hundreds of people.'Remember that the first wave is usually not the strongest,' Chilean President Gabriel Boric warned on social officials ordered the complete closure and evacuation of beaches and low-tide areas while maritime traffic was being restricted. Ecuador cancelled classes at schools in the Galapagos Islands as well as communities along the of New Zealand — about 6,000 miles (9,600 kilometres) from the quake's epicenter — were experiencing strong currents and wave surges. There were no evacuations, but people throughout the South Pacific island nation were warned to stay out of the water and away from beaches, shorelines and DOWNGRADES TO TSUNAMI ADVISORYAuthorities in Hawaii downgraded the state to a tsunami advisory early Wednesday, and evacuation orders on the Big Island and Oahu, the most populated island, were you return home, still stay off the beach and stay out of the water,' said James Barros, administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management northern California, tsunami activity continued Wednesday morning with waves of 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) in Crescent City, which has a history of tsunami waves of just several feet high might pose a significant risk.'It might only be 3 feet, but it's a wall of water that's 3 feet and spans hundreds of miles. Three feet of water can easily inundate inland and flood a couple blocks inland from the beach," said Diego Melgar, director of Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center at the University of REGIONS REPORT LIMITED DAMAGEIn Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the quake damaged a local kindergarten that was unoccupied.A video released by a Russian media outlet showed a team of doctors at a cancer clinic on Kamchatka holding a patient and clutching medical equipment as the quake rocked an operating on the sparsely populated Kuril Islands reported several waves flooded the fishing port of Severo-Kurilsk, the main city on the islands, and cut power supplies to the area. The port's mayor said no major damage was in Japan find refuge on hilltops and on rooftopsA tsunami of 2 feet (60 centimetres) was recorded in Hamanaka town in Hokkaido and Kuji port in Iwate, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Several areas reported smaller waves, and at least one person was Iwaki, a city in Fukushima prefecture, which was the epicenter of the 2011 tsunami and quake, dozens of residents gathered at a hilltop park after a community siren sounded and breakwater gates were at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, severely damaged in 2011, took shelter on higher ground while remotely monitoring operations, the operator later, Japan downgraded its tsunami alert but left an advisory in place along the Pacific coast.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Euronews
20 hours ago
- Climate
- Euronews
Massive 8.8 earthquake in eastern Russia triggers tsunami warnings
One of the strongest earthquakes on record struck Russia's Far East early Wednesday, causing tsunami waves in Japan and Alaska and warnings to be issued in Hawaii, North and Central America and Pacific islands. Damage was reported and evacuations were issued in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, the quake's epicentre. A tsunami of up to 4 metres was reported in parts of the region, the regional minister for emergency situation Sergei Lebedev said. The quake caused damage to buildings and cars swayed in the streets in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which also had power outages and mobile phone service failures. Russian news agencies quoting the regional Health Ministry said several people sought medical help in Kamchatka after the earthquake, but no serious injuries were reported. People were advised to move to higher ground around much of the Pacific coast. They were warned that the potential danger posed by a tsunami could last over a day. Most places where tsunami waves have already hit have reported no significant damage so far. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 8.0, according to US and Japanese seismologists. However, the US Geological Survey later updated its measurement to 8.8 magnitude and said it occurred at a depth of 20.7km. Tsunami felt across the Pacific The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre warned that waves of 1 to 3 metres above the tidal level may occur in some coastal areas of Hawaii, Chile, Japan and the Solomon Islands. In some coastal areas of Russia and Ecuador, waves of more than 3 metres may occur. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for the Pacific coast of Japan and stated that waves of up to 3 metres could reach the coast of northern Japan. "Urgent action must be taken to ensure the safety of life and property," the warning said. It was stated that the first waves were expected around 7 pm local time on Tuesday. The Alaska-based National Tsunami Warning Centre issued a tsunami warning for parts of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, while parts of the West Coast, including California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii, were also under caution. Tsunami warning coordinator Dave Snider with the National Tsunami Warning Centre in Alaska said the impact of the tsunami could last for hours or perhaps more than a day. 'A tsunami is not just one wave,' he said. 'It's a series of powerful waves over a long period of time. Tsunamis cross the ocean at hundreds of miles an hour - as fast as a jet airplane - in deep water. But when they get close to the shore, they slow down and start to pile up. And that's where that inundation problem becomes a little bit more possible there.' 'In this case, because of the Earth basically sending out these huge ripples of water across the ocean, they're going to be moving back and forth for quite a while,' which is why some communities may feel effects longer, he said. Among the world's strongest recorded quakes Wednesday's earthquake is one of the world's strongest since a 2011 9.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Japan sent a massive tsunami which set off meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. Only a few stronger earthquakes have ever been measures around the world. Japanese nuclear power plants have reported no abnormalities following the earthquake off of Russia. Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant said around 4,000 workers were taking shelter on higher ground at the plant complex while monitoring remotely to ensure safety. It was the strongest earthquake to hit the Kamchatka Peninsula since 1952, when a 9.0 quake caused damage but no reported deaths despite setting off 9.1 metre waves in Hawaii. In early July, five strong earthquakes occurred near Kamchatka, the strongest had a 7.4-magnitude. The largest earthquake was 20 kilometres deep and occurred 144 kilometres east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000.
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Climate
- Powys County Times
Tsunami warnings scaled back after waves crash into Japan, Hawaii and US coast
One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded has struck off Russia's sparsely populated Far East, sending tsunami waves into Japan, Hawaii and the US west coast. Several people were injured, but none seriously, and no major damage has been reported so far. Authorities warned that the risk from the 8.8 magnitude quake could last for hours, and millions of people potentially in the path of the waves were initially told to move away from the shore or seek high ground. But the danger already appeared to be lessening in some places, with Hawaii and parts of Japan downgrading their warnings. Authorities on Russia's Kamchatka peninsula, near the quake's epicentre, cancelled their tsunami warning. But Chile upgraded its warning to the highest level for most of its lengthy Pacific coast, and said it was evacuating hundreds of people. Residents fled inland as ports flooded on Kamchatka, while frothy, white waves washed up on the shore in northern Japan. Cars jammed streets and motorways in Honolulu, with standstill traffic even in areas away from the sea. People flocked to evacuation centres in affected areas of Japan, with memories fresh of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused reactor meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. No abnormalities in operations at Japan's nuclear plants were reported on Wednesday. Russian authorities said several people were injured, but all were in stable condition, though they gave few details. In Japan, at least one person was injured. A tsunami height of 10 to 13ft was recorded in Kamchatka, 2ft on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, and 2 to 5ft in San Francisco, officials said. Much of the US west coast, spanning California, Oregon, Washington state, and the Canadian province of British Columbia, were under a tsunami advisory. Hawaii was still under a tsunami advisory as Wednesday began, but evacuation orders on the Big Island and Oahu, the most populated island, had been lifted. An advisory means there is the potential for strong currents and dangerous waves, as well as flooding on beaches or in harbours. The impact of the tsunami could last for hours or perhaps more than a day, said Dave Snider, tsunami warning co-ordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Centre in Alaska. 'A tsunami is not just one wave,' he said. 'It's a series of powerful waves over a long period of time. 'Tsunamis cross the ocean at hundreds of miles an hour — as fast as a jet airplane — in deep water. But when they get close to the shore, they slow down and start to pile up. And that's where that inundation problem becomes a little bit more possible there.' Hawaii governor Josh Green earlier said helicopters and high-water vehicles were ready to go in case authorities needed to rescue people. Oregon Department of Emergency Management said small tsunami waves were expected along the coast. It urged people to stay away from beaches, harbours and marinas and to remain in a safe location away from the coast until the advisory is lifted. 'This is not a major tsunami, but dangerous currents and strong waves may pose a risk to those near the water,' the department said. A tsunami of less than a foot was forecast to hit parts of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and waves of up to 1.4ft above tide levels were observed in Alaska's Aleutian Islands. Russia's Oceanology Institute said tsunami waves might have been as high as 30 to 50ft in some sections of the Kamchatka coast. Later, authorities on the peninsula and the Kuril islands cancelled tsunami warnings, though they said some risk remained. The regional branch of Russia's Emergency Ministry on Kamchatka warned that scientists expect aftershocks at magnitudes of up to 7.5. It said more tsunamis are possible in Avacha Bay, where the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located. Oleg Melnikov, head of the regional health department, said a few people hurt themselves while rushing to leave buildings and a hospital patient was injured while jumping out of a window. He said all injured people were stable. A video released by Russian media outlet showed a team of doctors at a cancer clinic on Kamchatka holding a patient and clutching medical equipment as the quake rocked an operating room, before continuing with surgery after the shaking stopped. Authorities introduced a state of emergency on the sparsely populated Kurils — which are between Kamchatka and Japan — after the tsunami. They earlier reported that several waves flooded the fishing port of Severo-Kurilsk, the main city on the islands, and cut power supplies to the area. The port's mayor said no major damage was recorded. The quake struck at 8.25am Japan time with a magnitude of 8.8 magnitude and a depth of about 13 miles, according to the US Geological Survey. It was centred about 75 miles from the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Multiple aftershocks as strong as 6.9 magnitude followed. The earthquake appeared to be the strongest recorded since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake off north-eastern Japan in March 2011 that caused a massive tsunami that set off meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Only a few stronger earthquakes have ever been measured around the world. The tsunami alert disrupted transport in Japan, with ferries, trains and airports in the affected area suspending or delaying some operations. A tsunami of 2ft was recorded at Hamanaka town in Hokkaido and Kuji port in Iwate, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Several areas reported smaller waves including 8in in Tokyo Bay five hours after the quake. Japan's Meteorological Agency later downgraded its tsunami alert to an advisory along its Pacific coast. Authorities in the Philippines, Mexico and New Zealand also warned residents to watch for waves and strong currents. People were also urged to stay away from coastlines until any wave surges passed in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia and Solomon Islands.
a day ago
- Climate
Tsunami advisory cancelled for B.C. coast after massive Pacific earthquake
The National Tsunami Warning Centre cancelled a tsunami advisory for coastal B.C. early Wednesday. Residents of much of coastal B.C. were asked to avoid beaches and shorelines after a tsunami advisory (new window) was issued late Tuesday. An advisory is the second step in a three-tiered warning system, and it means strong currents are likely. Officials say an advisory means significant flooding isn't expected, but strong currents could be dangerous for those near the water. The advisory covers B.C.'s central and north coasts, Haida Gwaii and the west and northeast coasts of Vancouver Island. It also spans Juan de Fuca Strait and Greater Victoria, including the Saanich Peninsula. The District of Tofino on Vancouver Island had expected tsunami activity to reach the community overnight. A tsunami advisory for multiple parts of the B.C. coast was cancelled early Wednesday following a large earthquake in the Pacific basin near Kamchatka, Russia, on Tuesday afternoon. The U.S.-based National Tsunami Warning Centre (new window) says there was a magnitude 8.8 earthquake, with B.C. officials saying it occurred around 135 kilometres southeast of the Russian city of Petropavlovsk around 4:25 p.m. PT. A tsunami advisory, upgraded from an earlier watch, was issued for B.C.'s north and central coasts, including Kitimat and Bella Coola, Haida Gwaii and the west and northeast coasts of Vancouver Island. It also spanned the Juan de Fuca Strait from Jordan River to Greater Victoria, including the Saanich Peninsula. Enlarge image (new window) B.C.'s tsunami zones are listed in this graphic from EmergencyInfoBC. On Tuesday, a tsunami advisory was issued for Zones A through D. Photo: Fournie par EmergencyInfoBC A tsunami advisory means residents should move away from the ocean and stay alert for more instructions from officials. Significant inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory, but coastal zones may be at risk due to strong currents, reads an Emergency Info B.C. advisory. The advisory adds strong waves and currents could drown or injure people who are in the water, and currents at beaches, harbours, marinas or bays could be especially dangerous. It had earlier advised boat operators in areas under a tsunami watch to move their boats out to sea to a depth of at least 55 metres if time and conditions permit, and avoid shallow water and inlets if they are already at sea. A tsunami warning, which is the highest level, means that residents should move away from the water immediately. Enlarge image (new window) This graphic shows the three-tiered tsunami warning system used by officials in B.C. As of Tuesday night, most of the B.C. coast is under an advisory. Photo: EmergencyInfoBC Taimi Mulder, an earthquake seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, said that even if forecasted tsunami wave heights were small, people should heed the warnings to stay away from the water. One still wants to be away from the water, and the water's edge, at that time, she told CBC News late Tuesday night. Because unpredictable things could happen, and the currents will be much stronger than normal, and the water will be more confused-looking than normal. WATCH | Tsunami warnings issued after quake: Tofino beaches closed The District of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island said in an emergency notification around 7 p.m. PT that people shouldn't go to the shore to observe the waves, and later told CBC News in an email that it had closed all beaches until further notice. Emergency Info B.C. says Langara Island, off the coast of Haida Gwaii, saw tsunami waves around 10:05 p.m. PT, but the wave height was forecast to be less than 30 centimetres. Early Wednesday, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its tsunami bulletin to include regional observations, and for B.C., that included an observed maximum tsunami height of 27 centimetres at Winter Harbour, and 21 centimetres at Tofino. Enlarge image (new window) The Tofino coastline is seen from above in this stock image. The community on the west coast of Vancouver Island said that tsunami activity was forecast to reach it by 11:30 p.m. PT on Tuesday. Photo: Shutterstock / fokke baarssen John Cassidy, another seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, said Tuesday's earthquake was the type of seismic movement that was most likely to generate a tsunami. Those waves can travel across the Pacific.... They can travel a long way when they're out in the open ocean, he told Jason D'Souza, host of CBC's All Points West , just before 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday. The tsunami waves travel at about the same speed as a jet, he added. WATCH | When the first tsunami watch was issued for much of B.C.'s coast: If the magnitude of 8.8 is confirmed, the earthquake would be among the top 10 strongest earthquakes recorded since 1900 (new window) , according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It would be the strongest earthquake since the devastating 2011 earthquake that struck near the Tōhoku region of Japan, which had a magnitude of 9.0 and triggered a tsunami wave more than 40 metres high. It's a larger earthquake than we've seen,... in my lifetime anyway, that's that close [and] could potentially affect our B.C. coast, said Elmer Frank, chief councillor of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, whose traditional territories encompass Tofino and Ucluelet on Vancouver Island. Frank said Tuesday's earthquake and tsunami scare is a reminder for his community to keep up on emergency drills and preparedness. Enlarge image (new window) Elmer Frank, chief councillor of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, said the nation regularly communicates with its members about what needs to be done in an emergency situation. Photo: CBC No major tsunami expected to hit Hawaii The U.S. Geological Survey, in an updated measurement on Tuesday evening, said the quake hit at a depth of 20.7 kilometres. In the U.S. state of Hawaii, waves of up to 1.7 metres impacted the islands before the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre reduced its warning level for the state late Tuesday, saying no major tsunami was expected (new window) . Enlarge image (new window) Dennis and Devin Delatorre stand in the back of their truck waiting to return home on Tuesday after evacuating their Ewa Beach home in Kapolei Regional Park, Hawaii. Photo: Associated Press / Michelle Bir Initial wave impacts from the leading edge of the tsunami measured several feet at some monitoring stations, but 'follow-up' waves over the next several hours are often larger, said Maui County in a recent update (new window) . Cars jammed streets and highways in Hawaii's capital of Honolulu, with standstill traffic even in areas away from the shoreline. Ports on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia near the 8.8 magnitude quake's epicentre flooded as residents fled inland, and frothy, white waves washed up to the shore in northern Japan. People went to evacuation centres in affected areas of Japan, with memories fresh of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused reactor meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. No abnormalities in operations at Japan's nuclear plants were reported Wednesday. Russian authorities said several people were injured, without giving a figure. In Japan, at least one person was injured. Enlarge image (new window) A pedestrian walks past a TV screen displaying a tsunami warning in Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: Associated Press / Louise Delmotte Akshay Kulkarni (new window) · CBC News · Journalist Akshay Kulkarni is an award-winning journalist who has worked at CBC British Columbia since 2021. Based in Vancouver, he is most interested in data-driven stories. You can email him at With files from All Points West, Rafferty Baker and The Associated Press
