Earthquake of magnitude 8.0 off the coast of Russia leads to tsunami warnings for Hawaii and Alaska
A powerful magnitude 8.0 earthquake, similar to the recent 8.8 event, off the east coast of Russia has triggered a tsunami threat to Hawaii and other coastal areas. This earthquake occurred along a major subduction zone, where one tectonic plate slips under another, causing a sudden displacement of the ocean floor.
The earthquake took place in a subduction area, specifically the Pacific Plate subducting beneath the Okhotsk or North America plates near Kamchatka. The sudden slip along the fault (megathrust) caused a rapid vertical displacement of the seafloor, leading to a massive shift in overlying ocean water. This displacement generates tsunami waves that travel outward in all directions across the ocean basin.
In deep water, tsunami waves travel very fast but have low amplitude; as they approach shallow coastal waters like those around Hawaii, they slow down and increase dramatically in height, potentially causing devastating coastal flooding. Because the Pacific is connected, a strong quake off the Russian Far East can send waves thousands of kilometers away, reaching not only Hawaii but other coastal areas bordering the Pacific Ocean.
The severity of the tsunami impact depends on factors including earthquake magnitude, seafloor displacement amount, focal depth, and local coastal topography.
Currently, Hawaii is under a Tsunami Watch, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has stated that a quake of this magnitude may have triggered a tsunami. Waves are expected to reach Hawaii around 7:17 p.m. HST. Parts of Alaska are under a Tsunami Advisory, with waves expected to reach Adak at 5:46 p.m. AKDT and Shemya at 4:46 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is investigating if there is a tsunami threat to Hawaii. The level of tsunami danger for other US and Canadian Pacific coasts in North America is being evaluated by the PTWC. A Tsunami Advisory is in effect for Alaska's Aleutian Islands, and further information on tsunami danger for US and Canadian Pacific coasts will be provided in supplementary messages by the PTWC.
The earthquake occurred on Tuesday at 1:24 p.m. Hawaiian Time (7:24 p.m. ET, 2:24 a.m. Wednesday local time), and it struck about 85 miles east of Kamchatsky, Russia.
Stay tuned for updates as the situation develops.
- Given the rapid vertical displacement of the seafloor caused by the earthquake, there is a potential for tsunami waves to impact Hawaii and other coastal areas.
- The severity of the tsunami impact on Hawaii is currently under investigation by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and residents are advised to stay informed as the situation develops.
