Moscow – A massive 8.7-magnitude undersea earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula unleashed powerful tsunami waves that battered the coasts of Russia and Japan, sending shockwaves across the Pacific and reviving fears of nuclear danger at Japan’s Fukushima plant.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the epicenter was located 126 kilometers southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Videos circulating on social media captured the terrifying moment tsunami waves slammed into Severo-Kurilsk, confirming the scale of the disaster.
In Japan, tsunami waves struck Hokkaido’s northern coast, prompting immediate evacuation of workers from the Fukushima nuclear power plant — a site still haunted by the 2011 tsunami-triggered nuclear crisis.
Tsunami alerts were issued well in advance for Japan and the United States. U.S. authorities extended warnings to Alaska and Hawaii, triggering evacuations in vulnerable coastal zones. Countries including Indonesia, the Philippines, New Zealand, and Canada followed with their own advisories, bracing for potential impact.
This disaster comes just days after a series of earthquakes rocked Russia’s Kamchatka region on July 20, including a 7.4-magnitude tremor — a clear sign of intensifying seismic activity in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Authorities remain on high alert, urging residents in coastal areas to evacuate and stay vigilant as aftershocks and further tsunami threats remain possible.
