Tsunami

On July 30, 2025, at around 11:25 am local time (~23:24:52 UTC on July 29), a shallow, magnitude 8.7 to 8.8 earthquake struck about 120–136 km east‑southeast of Petropavlovsk‑Kamchatsky, at a depth of approximately 19–19.3 km Tsunami.gov+15Reuters+15The Guardian+15.

It is the strongest quake in the region since 1952, comparable to the 1952 Severo‑Kurilsk event The Guardian+7News.com.au+7The Guardian+7.

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⏱ Immediate Tsunami Impact

Kamchatka: Recorded 3 to 4 m wave heights in coastal areas. Evacuations occurred in Severo‑Kurilsk, and some flooding impacted port infrastructure and a kindergarten. A few minor injuries were reported, all in stable condition The Guardian+1Reuters+1.

Japan: First tsunami wave (~30 cm) hit Hokkaido, with waves up to 1–3 m expected along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido south to Wakayama Prefecture, prompting mass evacuations—including at the Fukushima nuclear plant, though no abnormalities have been detected The Guardian+2News.com.au+2The Guardian+2.

United States / Pacific:

Hawaii: Issued a tsunami warning, urged immediate coastal evacuations, advising people to move to higher ground or at least the fourth floor of buildings; saw heavy traffic as people evacuated www.ndtv.com+2ABC News+2Reuters+2.

Alaska / Aleutian Islands: Issued warnings and advisories; coastal regions monitored closely ABC Newscbsnews.comThe Guardian.

U.S. West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia): Placed under tsunami watch/advisory, with wave threats assessed for potential 1–3 m waves and strong currents ABC Newscbsnews.comThe Guardian.

Other regions—including Guam, Micronesia, New Zealand, Ecuador, Solomon Islands, Canada—received tsunami watches or advisories. Expected wave heights varied: 0.3–3 m in Japan and the U.S., possibly up to 3–4 m in nearby coastal zones; smaller waves and strong currents warned across Pacific rim News.com.auThe GuardianThe Washington PostThe Economic Times.

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📰 Response & Safety Status

Rescue & government actions:

Russia’s emergency services evacuated coastal communities near the epicenter. Local infrastructure was damaged (including a kindergarten and port facilities), but no fatalities reported www.ndtv.com+3Reuters+3The Guardian+3.

Japan conducted extensive evacuations; at Fukushima, workers were relocated as a precaution—no abnormalities detected so far The Guardian.

Seismological context:

According to the Russian Academy of Sciences, this quake was the most powerful in decades The Guardian+1Reuters+1.

Geophysicists caution that, despite its magnitude, ground shaking was less severe than expected due to epicentral specifics. Aftershocks, including notable ones ~M 6.9, are ongoing; experts expect moderate tremors to continue, though none are projected to exceed magnitude 7.5 WikipediaReutersNews.com.auThe Guardian.

Summary Table

Region	Wave Height	Actions Taken	Impact Status
Kamchatka, Russia	3–4 m	Evacuations, local flood reports	Minor damage; stable injuries
Japan (Hokkaido → Wakayama)	~0.3 m initial, up to 3 m forecast	Mass evacuation, nuclear plant workers moved	No injuries or anomalies
Hawaii	1–3 m potential	Mandatory coastal evacuations	Heavy local traffic, no major damage
Alaska / West Coast	1–3 m & strong currents	Watches & advisories issued	Monitoring ongoing
Pacific Islands / S. America	0.3–3 m / currents	Tsunami watches/advisories	No major incidents reported

 

🧭 Ongoing Developments

Aftershocks are expected in the coming hours and days; most likely within magnitude ~6–7, with potential up to ~7.5.

Tsunami alerts remain active across affected Pacific regions; many local agencies continue to monitor conditions.

Authorities emphasize public vigilance and following official instructions, especially for evacuation orders and staying clear of coastlines.

Environmental and infrastructure assessments are underway in Kamchatka and impacted areas of Japan.