By Kevin Shalvey and Somayeh Malekian
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), prompting brief tsunami alerts in both Russia and as far away as Hawaii.
In response, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat for the Kamchatka coastline and parts of the Pacific, including Hawaii. Russian authorities also issued warnings, advising residents to stay away from coastal areas. "Under no circumstances should residents approach the shoreline to observe the tsunami," Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations warned.
The ministry noted that the predicted tsunami waves were relatively modest, with estimated heights of up to 60 cm in the Aleutian Municipal District, 40 cm in Ust-Kamchatsky, and 15 cm near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The alert was later lifted after the threat subsided. Officials in Hawaii had issued a tsunami watch, which was also canceled after further assessment. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System stated that smaller tsunami waves were theoretically possible across Hawaii, Japan, and the Midway Atoll, but no significant wave activity was reported.
Prior to the cancellation, Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management posted on social media: “Tsunami Watch Issued – Prepare to Act! A Tsunami Watch means a tsunami is possible, but the situation is still being evaluated.”
The region remains under close monitoring due to ongoing seismic activity.