Tsunami warnings have been issued for multiple nations across the Pacific as well as the US Pacific coasts and Hawaii after a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Wednesday off Russia’s remote and sparsely populated far eastern coast.
This quake is the strongest since 2011, when a 9.0-9.1 megaquake struck northeastern Japan. However, it is still to soon to say how destructive or widespread the tsunami waves will be.
Despite the initial quake’s huge strength, minimal damage had been reported so far in Russia’s remote Kamchatka peninsula, which lies closest to the epicenter, local governor Vladimir Solodov said.
The US West Coast is under tsunami advisory, including portions of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands as well as Hawaii. Tsunami advisories are also in place for several US territories, including Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. (CNN)