An 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on 30 July 2025.
Tsunami alerts were issued across Japan, Hawaii, and other regions.
Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a Telegram video that “today's earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors.”
An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings across the northern Pacific, including alerts in Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, and parts of New Zealand.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake occurred at a shallow depth of 19.3 kilometres and was centered about 125 kilometres east-southeast of Petropavlovsk, along the coast of Avacha Bay. The magnitude was initially reported as 8.0 before being revised to 8.8.
The earthquake generated a tsunami in the coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s Hokkaido region. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System stated that “hazardous tsunami waves” were expected along parts of the coasts of Russia and Japan within hours.
In Honolulu, tsunami alert sirens were activated Tuesday, prompting residents to move to higher ground. The U.S. National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami had been generated that “could cause damage along the coastlines of all the Hawaiian islands.”
Residents in coastal areas of Hawaii were advised to reach higher ground or move to the fourth floor or above in buildings. The U.S. Coast Guard ordered ships out of harbours in response. A tsunami measuring 50 centimetres was recorded at the Ishinomaki port in northern Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on Telegram, “today's earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors.” Russian scientists noted it was the most powerful earthquake to strike the region since 1952.
The earthquake caused damage in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, where buildings were affected, cars swayed in the streets, and there were reports of power outages and disruptions in mobile phone service. Multiple videos shared on social media showed strong shaking inside buildings during the quake.
Geologists attributed the earthquake to tectonic activity along a subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate is pushed beneath the Okhotsk Plate. Similar to Kamchatka, Japan is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active region that regularly experiences strong earthquakes. This tectonic environment also makes the area prone to tsunamis. [Rh/Eth/VS]
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