Massive 8.7‑Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Russia’s Far East, Triggering Pacific Tsunami Alerts
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A powerful magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck at a shallow depth of about 19 km, centered approximately 126 km southeast of Petropavlovsk‑Kamchatsky on July 30, 2025. The quake is among the strongest recorded—making it the largest in the Kamchatka region since the 1952 Severo‑Kurilsk earthquake, and the most powerful globally since the 2011 Tohoku quake in Japan.
Tsunami waves as high as 3 to 4 meters (10–13 ft) struck parts of Kamchatka, including Severo-Kurilsk, where roughly 2,000 residents were evacuated. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued warnings along its eastern coastline, predicting waves up to 3 meters, prompting evacuation of nearly two million people in Hokkaido and other coastal areas. Hawaii also ordered coastal evacuations, later downgrading to advisory status, while tsunami watches extended to Alaska, California, and British Columbia. Evacuation advisories reached as far as Guam, Micronesia, Mexico, and New Zealand.
Despite the quake’s immense magnitude, initial reports indicate limited injuries and no confirmed deaths. Injuries mostly occurred during evacuation efforts or due to structural damage—including a kindergarten in Petropavlovsk‑Kamchatsky that sustained damage while under renovation. Local officials noted that shaking intensity was lower than expected, given the epicenter’s characteristics, and that aftershocks—potentially reaching magnitude 7.5—are anticipated.
Emergency services across the Pacific remain on high alert, monitoring tsunami activity and advising residents to stay away from coastlines as the danger persists.
