Fears of a devastating tsunami across the Pacific have faded after one of the strongest earthquakes on record struck off the coast of eastern Russia. The powerful tremor hit early Wednesday morning near the Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting widespread tsunami alerts and evacuation orders. Millions of residents across multiple countries were forced to evacuate and seek higher ground. However, as the ocean surge reached South America with no significant damage reported, many of the warnings have now been lifted, and evacuees are beginning to return home.
Waves measuring up to 70 cm were recorded along the coastline of Easter Island in Chile. Residents responded quickly to the initial warnings, but fortunately, the anticipated destruction did not materialize.
One tourist said, “We heard about the earthquake yesterday, and the hostel told us there was going to be an evacuation. This was the designated safe zone.”
These were the scenes from early Wednesday morning as the massive 8.8-magnitude quake hit Russia’s remote eastern coast. The earthquake triggered a tsunami that affected parts of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. In Japan, nearly two million people evacuated to higher ground in coastal towns.
“I grabbed only what I could and walked here with others,” said one evacuee. “I feel safer here as there are other people.”
Tsunami waves also reached the coastal areas of Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast. Despite the scale of the quake, there have been no reports of significant damage.
With most tsunami warnings now downgraded or lifted, a potentially catastrophic event appears to have been avoided.
Expert Insights: Why the Damage Was Less Than Expected
Emily Brodsky, a distinguished professor of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of California, explained why the event, despite its magnitude, caused less destruction than anticipated.
“When we have a large earthquake like this, we worry about two things: shaking damage in nearby cities and the tsunami itself,” Brodsky said. “This was a remote, offshore area, so the shaking wasn’t as bad as it might have been in a more densely populated location.”
As for the tsunami, its size is highly sensitive to how much the seafloor moves. “This earthquake likely shifted the seafloor about 10 meters, which wasn’t enough to displace the volume of water needed to generate a devastating tsunami. A similar earthquake in the same region in 1952, which was a magnitude 9, caused much greater destruction in Hawaii and Russia.”
Brodsky also noted the difference in tsunami impact between this quake and the 2011 earthquake off the coast of Japan. That event moved the seafloor by around 70 meters and generated a massive tsunami that devastated northern Japan. “The angle and slip of the fault in this recent quake were different — likely less vertical motion and overall slip — which made all the difference in the size of the tsunami.”
Tsunami Preparedness in Japan
Journalist Sonia Blashka reported from Tokyo on how Japan reacted to the tsunami threat. Despite the alarming magnitude, the country responded calmly and efficiently. Japan, having learned painful lessons from the 2011 disaster, has invested heavily in tsunami preparedness.
The region still under tsunami advisory includes areas hit in 2011, as well as Hokkaido. Many residents in these areas evacuated once again, observing news updates closely. Infrastructure has been significantly updated since the last major event, including elevated villages, tsunami evacuation towers, floodgates, and warning systems.
Nearly two million people were evacuated. Challenges included organizing shelters, avoiding traffic jams, and distributing food. However, the most pressing issue was the heat. Japan is currently experiencing record-high temperatures, and several people were hospitalized for heatstroke during the evacuation.
Authorities were caught between ensuring safety from a potential tsunami and protecting people from dangerous heat exposure. With typhoon season now underway and Typhoon No. 9 approaching, the situation grows even more complex.
Blashka also highlighted the psychological toll. “Some people are still dealing with trauma from 2011. One man recalled the earlier tsunami and began shaking uncontrollably, unable to move. These emotional and psychological effects are invisible challenges Japan continues to face.”
