Millions of Americans were under threat of a devastating tsunami following a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Russia.
Sirens were blaring in Hawaii and residents were urged to evacuate from coastal areas as the entire island chain braced for the impact to strike at 1 am EST. They ran d to supermarkets and stocked up on water and other essentials.
Photos posted online also showed bumper-to-bumper traffic on a Honolulu highway as residents scrambled to get to higher ground.
Tsunami advisories were also in effect for the entire West Coast of the United States and a tsunami threat covered Japan, where workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant were forced to evacuate.
Waves were expected to reach California at about 3 am EST.
On his Truth Social page, President Donald Trump urged Americans to ‘STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE.’
Data from the US Geological Survey shows the quake reached a magnitude of 8.8 and struck about 84 miles east-southeast of Kamchatska, Russia at around 7.24pm EST.
The quake was believed to be the strongest to strike on the entire planet in 14 years, when a 9.1 megaquake hit northeast Japan and left 19,747 people either dead or missing.
Rescuers in Russia are pictured inspecting a kindergarten damaged by a massive earthquake on Tuesday
A tsunami advisory has been extended to cover the entire West Coast of the United States
Several were injured in Russia and kindergarten in Petropavlovsk collapsed from the quake as tsunami waves could be seen reaching the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
‘Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal,’ Oleg Melnikov, regional health minister told Russia´s TASS state news agency.
‘All patients are currently in satisfactory condition, and no serious injuries have been reported so far.’
The Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences also said it was a very powerful earthquake.
‘However, due to certain characteristics of the epicenter, the shaking intensity was not as high … as one might expect from such a magnitude,’ it said in a video on Telegram.
‘Aftershocks are currently ongoing … Their intensity will remain fairly high. However, stronger tremors are not expected in the near future. The situation is under control.’
But in Hawaii, the Department of Emergency Management for Oahu, an island of Hawaii, urged residents on the coast to evacuate the area or at least move to higher ground ahead.
Officials in Guam also urged residents to get off the beaches and harbors.
President Donald Trump urged Americans to ‘STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE’
The tsunami ‘could be destructive’ to coastal areas, authorities at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned.
The warning added that ‘waves reaching more than three meters above the tide level [or about 10 feet] are possible along some coasts of Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.’
The National Weather Service also warned residents they ‘are in danger.’
‘Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return,’ the department said in an alert.
Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci also urged Americans to ‘prepare to evacuate vertically if warnings are issued.’
‘Move away from beaches, harbors, marinas, bays and inlets. If you’re in a boat and cannot reach shore, sail away from the coast into deeper waters where the tsunami’s energy will be dispersed. Head to a place with an ocean depth of at least 180 feet.’
Passersby in Japan stopped to watch the news as the island nation remained under a tsunami threat Tuesday night
Vehicles evacuate to a higher ground in Kushiro, Hokkaido, northern Japan Wednesday, July 30, 2025, after a powerful earthquake in Russia’s Far East prompted tsunami warnings in parts of Japan
The quake reached a magnitude of 8.8 and struck about 84 miles east-southeast of Kamchatska at around 7.24pm EST
The earthquake on Tuesday came just over one week after several other tremors struck the area, including one that measured a 7.4 magnitude.
Tuesday’s earthquake is the largest this year, and is the first magnitude 8.0 or higher since 2021.
Kamchatka and Russia’s Far East sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region that is prone to major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.