The strongest earthquake in 14 years has triggered a tsunami along the coastal areas of Japan, and issued tsunami warnings for Russia and the western coast of the United States. The earthquake off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka was recorded at 8.8 on the Richter scale. This is among the top 10 strongest earthquakes recorded since record-keeping began. The initial tsunami waves have already reached coastal areas of Japan. The wave heights were recorded at 40 centimeters. The first waves hit the coastal areas of Japan’s Hokkaido. So far, there have been no reports of casualties due to the tsunami.
With the tsunami warning, residents living on Japan’s western coast have been instructed to move to safer areas. Authorities estimate that 3-meter waves could hit those areas. Workers at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, have also been moved to safer locations. Tsunami warnings have also been issued for Hawaii and California on the western coast of the United States. Residents in those coastal areas have begun moving to safer locations. However, US experts say they do not expect significant damage to California from the tsunami.
It has been confirmed that some people have been injured in Russia due to the earthquake. This occurred in the country’s easternmost region. Reports indicate that tsunami waves have hit and caused flooding in Russia’s Severo-Kurilsk area. The US Geological Survey, which studies earthquakes, stated that the earthquake that hit Japan’s Kamchatka is the sixth strongest tremor ever recorded in history.
