Jakarta. One of the strongest earthquakes in recent memory struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday morning, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific, from Japan and Alaska to Indonesia and New Zealand.

The 8.8-magnitude quake caused localized damage in Russia and sent waves up to 50 centimeters to northern Japan, prompting evacuations and widespread alerts but no major casualties.

The earthquake hit at 8:25 a.m. Japan time (6:24 a.m. Jakarta time), with the US Geological Survey reporting a depth of 20.7 kilometers and an epicenter about 74 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 180,000. Russian authorities confirmed structural damage and aftershocks as strong as magnitude 6.9, but no serious injuries.

The quake also rattled communities across Indonesia’s eastern regions. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) classified the quake as a shallow subduction event and issued tsunami advisories for ten coastal areas, including Talaud, North Halmahera, Biak Numfor, and Jayapura. Waves in these areas were forecast to reach less than 0.5 meters, but residents were urged to stay away from shorelines until further notice.

“This earthquake is one of the strongest recorded globally since the 2011 Japan disaster,” said Daryono, director of BMKG’s earthquake and tsunami center. The agency warned that seismic activity may persist for days or weeks.

In Japan, a 50-centimeter wave was observed in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. Over 900,000 residents across 133 coastal municipalities were advised to evacuate, and several transport services, including ferries and airport operations, were suspended. No injuries or nuclear facility issues were reported.

In the United States, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of possible coastal impacts in Hawaii and along the West Coast. Hawaii schools canceled afternoon activities, and traffic gridlock hit Honolulu as residents moved to higher ground. Oregon’s emergency agency advised people to avoid beaches and harbors due to possible strong currents.

Elsewhere, the Philippines and New Zealand issued warnings for their Pacific coasts. While significant waves were not expected, authorities stressed the risk of dangerous surges and currents.

Wednesday’s quake was the most powerful to strike the Kamchatka region since a 9.0-magnitude event in 1952, which also triggered large waves in Hawaii but caused no deaths. 

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