Coastal residents urged to evacuate immediately as waves impact Japan, Russia, and approach Hawaii
July 30, 2025: A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 hit off the shore of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday. The quake caused tsunami waves that have already affected coastal sections of Russia and Japan, leading to massive evacuations and a high state of alert across the Pacific. The US Geological Survey (USGS) first said the shallow tremor was 8.0 and then changed it to 8.8. It is one of the biggest tremors recorded in decades, which has people worried about catastrophic waves over the huge ocean basin.
The earthquake happened about 125 km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and at a depth of about 19 km, which made it very likely to cause a tsunami. Russian officials in the Kamchatka Peninsula recorded tsunami waves reaching up to 4 meters (13 feet) and confirmed damage to houses and several injuries, though none life-threatening, as locals raced to higher ground. The northern Kuril Islands are now in a state of emergency.
Japan is quite vulnerable to tsunamis. The first waves were about 30 to 60 centimeters (1 to 2 feet) high in Hokkaido and other northern coastal locations. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that bigger waves up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) could still be on the way. Evacuation orders were given for coastal areas, and sources say that about 900,000 people in Japan were told to leave. Some train lines and ferry services were stopped, and airports were shuttered for a short time as a safety measure. Japan’s nuclear power reactors said there were no immediate safety problems.
Hawaii is also under a tsunami warning, and waves that might destroy things are expected to hit the islands. Sirens went off all around Honolulu, and people were told to go to higher ground. This caused traffic to come to a standstill as evacuations began. Authorities are telling those who live along the coast in Alaska and the US West Coast, which includes California, Oregon, and Washington, to stay away from beaches and waterways because of possible strong currents and deadly waves. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said that waves of 1–3 meters were conceivable in some coastal locations, while waves of more than 3 meters were still a hazard in some portions of Russia and Ecuador.
Aftershocks, some as high as 6.9 on the Richter scale, have still shaking the area, and Russian geophysical services say there will be “significant, noticeable” aftershocks for at least another month. Officials around the Pacific are telling people to stay alert, pay close attention to official updates from tsunami warning centers, and follow evacuation orders. The tragedy shows how important it is to beprepared in areas that are likely to have earthquakes and tsunamis.