Tsunami waves struck coastlines in Hawaii, California, Alaska and Japan after a powerful earthquake off Russia’s Far East triggered alerts across the Pacific. Authorities in several countries issued evacuation orders as water levels surged, though no major damage or casualties were reported in these areas. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck at 8:25 a.m. local time in Kamchatka, a remote peninsula in Russia’s Far East that lies between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean. The quake was centered about 74 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the region’s main city, at a depth of 12 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Kamchatka Peninsula sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is one of the most seismically active areas in the world. The quake, one of the strongest recorded this century, caused violent shaking across the region and triggered aftershocks as strong as magnitude 6.9.
In Hawaii, waves up to 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) were recorded, and water receded by up to 30 feet at Haleiwa Harbor on Oahu, The Associated Press reported. Gov. Josh Green said authorities had activated helicopters and high-water vehicles in preparation for potential rescues. Flights in and out of Maui were suspended earlier in the day but resumed by evening. While evacuation shelters were set up in schools and community centers, no damage was reported.
Along the U.S. West Coast, tsunami advisories prompted warnings in Crescent City, California, where waves of 3.6 feet were observed. City officials turned on tsunami sirens and urged residents to avoid beaches and waterways. The National Weather Service warned of multiple waves continuing through high tide and noted that flooding was possible in low-lying coastal areas. In Alaska, waves just under 1.5 feet were reported in the Aleutian Islands. Dave Snider from the National Tsunami Warning Center said that the impact could persist for more than a day due to the nature of tsunamis, according to NPR. He noted that they travel as fast as jet aircraft in deep ocean waters but slow and pile up near shores.
While speaking in Santiago, Chile, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the threat of a major tsunami hitting the United States “has passed completely.” She added that officials are “in really good shape right now” and that they “were fully deployed and ready to respond, if necessary, but grateful that we didn’t have to deal with the situation that this could have been.”
Russia’s Severo-Kurilsk, located on the Kuril Islands, was hit by four tsunami waves, including one as high as five meters, which partially flooded the port and a fish processing facility, according to Reuters. Power was cut off and boats were swept from their moorings, though local authorities reported no major injuries. Verified footage showed the town’s shoreline submerged and some industrial structures surrounded by water. Japan issued evacuation advisories to nearly 2 million residents in 220 municipalities along its Pacific coast. Waves up to 1.3 meters (4.2 feet) were recorded in Iwate and Hokkaido, and ferries and train services were suspended in affected areas. One injury was reported in Hokkaido when a woman in her 60s fell while trying to evacuate.
Biblical Connections: We are thankful that the massive earthquake hit a remote region and did not cause disastrous tsunamis around the globe. However, it does remind us of the wreckage that can occur when such an earthquake hits. The Book of Revelation lays out that catastrophic earthquakes will be a part of God’s judgements during the Tribulation. We can only fathom the devastation that will occur when these earthquakes hit in the future.
PRAY: Pray for those who were impacted by the earthquake and following tsunami. Pray for the spread of the Gospel and for lost people to come to salvation before the coming judgements mentioned in the Book of Revelation.