Pacific Area Tsunami Warning Activated Following Earthquake - Pacific region issues tsunami alert following earthquakes
Massive Earthquake Off Kamchatka Peninsula Triggers Pacific-wide Tsunami
On July 30, 2025, a powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, causing a series of events that would impact coastal regions across the Pacific rim. The earthquake, which occurred at 11:24:50 PETT (23:24:50 UTC, July 29), was one of the strongest ever recorded globally, equaling the sixth-strongest on record [1][2].
The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific region, including Russia, Japan, the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and several Latin American countries. The tsunami wave heights recorded were significant, with over 3 meters reported in Severo-Kurilsk, Kuril Islands (Russia), up to 1.3 meters at Kuji Port, northern Honshu, Japan, up to 1.2 meters in Northern California, USA, 1.74 meters at Kahului, Maui, Hawaii, and 1.5 meters at Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii [2].
Countries and regions affected or under tsunami warnings included Russia (Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Oblast), Japan (Pacific coast), the United States (Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Northern California), and several Latin American countries [2].
Though damage was reported as moderate and multiple injuries occurred near Kamchatka and Sakhalin, no deaths have been reported so far [1][2]. The Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano on Kamchatka erupted shortly after the earthquake, indicating volcanic activity triggered by seismic disturbance [1].
In the aftermath, warnings have been issued and updated by multiple meteorological and tsunami agencies, including the Japan Meteorological Agency and U.S. Tsunami Warning Center [2]. As a precaution, coastal residents in the Russian region of Sakhalin were evacuated, and tsunami waves of three to four meters high reached the shore in some places, but there were no initial reports of injuries or deaths.
In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, panicked people ran outside, cars slid over shaking streets, and a kindergarten building was severely damaged. Beaches on Hawaii's Big Island have been evacuated, and all ports on Hawaii are closed to shipping. Tsunami warnings have been issued for the U.S. states of Hawaii, Alaska, and California, and several Latin American countries have issued flood warnings.
Further aftershocks are expected in the region for about a month, which could reach magnitudes up to 7.5 [1]. Despite the challenges, the global community is working together to monitor the situation and provide support where needed.
[1] Russian Academy of Sciences [2] U.S. Tsunami Warning System, Japan Meteorological Agency, and other relevant sources.
The Commission, in light of the devastating Pacific-wide tsunami triggered by the earthquake off Kamchatka Peninsula, might consider prioritizing relief and recovery efforts in the field of education and training to help affected communities rebuild and adapt to potential future natural disasters.
As coastal residents worldwide remain vigilant for aftershocks and future tsunami warnings, weather forecasts in affected regions should be closely monitored and disseminated to ensure the safety and preparedness of those in harm's way.
