Moscow: One of the world’s most powerful earthquakes, measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale, struck Russia’s eastern Kamchatka peninsula early Wednesday morning.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake occurred at 4:54 am IST, with its epicenter located at a depth of 19.3 kilometers.
A tsunami with waves as high as 5 meters followed the tremor, causing significant damage to infrastructure in Kamchatka. Local media reported that several buildings were damaged, including a kindergarten.
Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov, in a video message, described the quake as the most powerful the region has experienced in decades.
Japan’s national broadcaster NHK reported that tsunami waves measuring about one foot have reached the country’s eastern coastline.
Authorities in Tokyo have issued evacuation advisories to nearly 2 million residents, and the Fukushima nuclear reactor has been emptied as a precautionary measure.
Tsunami waves have also been recorded in Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. Emergency services across the Pacific region are on high alert as aftershocks and further tsunami activity remain possible.
