KUALA LUMPUR – The most powerful earthquake to hit Russia’s Kamchatka region in over seven decades has triggered a series of tsunami alerts across the Pacific, with the Philippines and Indonesia becoming the latest to issue advisories today.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) advised residents along eastern coastal provinces to stay away from the shore after models predicted tsunami waves under one metre, with arrival expected between 1.20pm and 2.40pm local time.
Indonesia’s geophysics agency issued a similar advisory for parts of Papua, North Maluku and Gorontalo, warning of waves under 0.5 metres.
In Malaysia, the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) confirmed there is no tsunami threat. However, the Foreign Ministry urged Malaysians in affected regions to stay vigilant.
“All Malaysians in the affected areas are strongly advised to follow safety instructions issued by local authorities and stay updated through official channels,” Wisma Putra said, adding that no Malaysians have been reported injured. The ministry also encouraged those in affected areas to register with nearby embassies and maintain communication for timely assistance if necessary.
Sendai Airport in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan – which was inundated during the 2011 tsunami – suspended operations as a precaution, underscoring the seriousness of the alert.
A tsunami warning was also issued for areas from Hokkaido to Wakayama and the Ogasawara Islands, prompting evacuations, airport and railway closures, and the suspension of treated water discharge at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake, now reported to be of magnitude 8.8 (previously 8.7), struck at 8.24am local time, around 120km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a depth of roughly 20 to 42km. Tsunami waves of up to four metres were recorded off southeastern Kamchatka, while Japan’s Meteorological Agency reported surges as high as 50 centimetres along its northern and eastern coastlines.
The quake, which Russian seismologists say is the strongest in the Kamchatka seismic zone since 1952, has prompted widespread monitoring across the Pacific. Tsunami alerts were earlier issued for Japan, Russia’s Far East, Hawaii, Alaska, the US West Coast, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and parts of Canada.
US and Japanese officials warned that the first tsunami wave may not be the largest, and subsequent waves could follow. In Japan, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ordered full-scale precautions, while its Defence Ministry deployed aircraft to assess coastal impact.
Seismologists in Russia have warned that aftershocks as strong as magnitude 7.5 could occur in the coming weeks. Emergency services in Kamchatka reported minor injuries and precautionary evacuations in coastal settlements.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre continues to monitor wave activity, urging all coastal populations under alert to remain on high ground until advisories are lifted. – July 30, 2025