Russia earthquake: Tsunami reaches US shores; Hawaii braces for 10-ft waves

Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said so far, no injuries or damages have been reported. The agency, in response to the tsunami alert, issued an evacuation advisory to more than 900,000 residents in 133 municipalities along Japan's Pacific coast, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. The number of people who actually took shelter was not available.

Japanese nuclear power plants reported no abnormalities. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which operates the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, said about 4,000 workers are taking shelter on higher ground at the plant complex while monitoring remotely to ensure plant safety.

The Russian areas nearest the quake’s epicentre on the Kamchatka Peninsula reported damage and evacuations, but no serious injuries.

The first tsunami wave hit the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk, the main settlement on Russia's Kuril Islands in the Pacific, according to the local governor Valery Limarenko. He said residents were safe and staying on high ground until the threat of a repeat wave was gone.

The quake caused damage to buildings, and cars swayed in the streets in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which also had power outages and mobile phone service failures. Russian news agencies quoting the regional Health Ministry said several people sought medical help in Kamchatka after the earthquake, but no serious injuries were reported.

The earthquake appeared to be the strongest anywhere in the world since the March 2011 earthquake off northeast Japan that was 9.0 magnitude and caused a massive tsunami that set off meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. Only a few stronger earthquakes have ever been measured around the world.

A tsunami of 1.6 feet was detected at the Ishinomaki port in northern Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. That was the highest measurement so far among several locations around northern Japan.

The tsunami alert disrupted transportation in Japan. Ferries connecting Hokkaido and Aomori on the northern tip of Japan's Honshu Island were suspended, as well as those connecting Tokyo and nearby islands, and some local train operations were suspended or delayed, according to operators. Sendai airport temporarily closed its runway.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management said on Facebook that small tsunami waves were expected along the coast starting around 11.40 pm local time, with wave heights between 1 to 2 feet. It urged people to stay away from beaches, harbours, and marinas, and to remain in a safe location away from the coast until the advisory is lifted.

“This is not a major tsunami, but dangerous currents and strong waves may pose a risk to those near the water,” the department said.

Much of the West Coast spanning Canada's British Columbia province, Washington state, and California were also under a tsunami advisory.

Cars jammed streets and highways in Honolulu as the tsunami alerts coincided with the Tuesday afternoon rush-hour. Warning sirens blared as people moved to higher ground. 

The mayor of Honolulu told residents to move to higher ground while the governor of Hawaii urged people to evacuate coastal zones on an emergency basis.

“It will not hit one beach, it will wrap around the islands,” said Governor Josh Green.

Hawaii is bracing itself to face possible 10-foot tsunami waves even as there were reports of an over 5-foot wave in Kahului on the north-central shore of Maui Island in Hawaii and a 4-foot wave in Haleiwa on the north shore of Oahu Island, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said a tsunami had been generated by the quake that could cause damage along the coastlines of all the Hawaiian Islands.

“Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,” the warning stated. The first waves were expected around 7 pm Tuesday local time.