A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia near Kamchatka, placing millions across the Pacific — including in the U.S. — under tsunami warnings. The quake, recorded around 7:24 p.m. EST and centered roughly 84 miles southeast of Kamchatka, is the strongest globally in 14 years and ranks as the sixth most powerful ever recorded.
Tsunami sirens sounded across Hawaii, where residents were urged to evacuate low-lying coastal areas. Officials projected the tsunami would hit the island chain around 7 p.m. local time (1 a.m. EST). Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency, urging residents to stay indoors until given the all-clear. “We pray for no loss of life,” he stated during a press briefing.
Footage and photos from Honolulu showed packed highways as people fled to higher ground, while shelves in local supermarkets were stripped of essentials. On Oahu, the U.S. Army and Navy opened Kolekole Pass and parts of Schofield Barracks to support evacuation efforts. The National Guard is on standby, though Governor Green cautioned that rescue operations during the wave could be extremely difficult.
Warnings extended to the California-Oregon border, with tsunami advisories in effect along the entire U.S. West Coast. California was expected to see wave activity by midnight local time.
On social media, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, urging Americans to “STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE.”
In Russia, several injuries were reported, including people who jumped from windows or were hit by debris. A kindergarten building collapsed in Petropavlovsk, and tsunami waves reached the Kamchatka coastline. Regional officials confirmed that, despite the quake’s magnitude, shaking intensity was somewhat lower than expected due to the epicenter’s depth and characteristics. Aftershocks continue, but stronger tremors are not currently anticipated.
The quake also triggered alerts in Japan, where staff at the Fukushima nuclear facility were evacuated. In Guam, coastal residents were told to leave beaches and harbors.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that waves over 10 feet could hit parts of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, while the National Weather Service told residents: “Move inland or to higher ground now.”
Meteorologists, including Matthew Cappucci, advised those near the coast to be prepared for vertical evacuation, avoid harbors and shallow bays, and — if at sea — head into deeper waters, ideally with depths of 180 feet or more.
Tuesday’s quake follows a series of smaller tremors in the region, including a 7.4-magnitude quake just a week earlier. It’s the strongest earthquake of 2025 so far and the first worldwide above magnitude 8.0 since 2021.
Historically, 8.8-magnitude earthquakes have had devastating impacts. In 2010, Chile was hit by one that killed 523 people and destroyed over 370,000 homes. A similar quake in Ecuador in 1906 claimed 1,500 lives, with effects reaching as far as San Francisco. Another major quake struck Alaska’s Rat Islands in 1965, generating a tsunami nearly 35 feet high.
Kamchatka sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire — a seismically active zone known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
