BBC News : A magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29, triggering tsunami alerts for the entire U.S. West Coast and prompting evacuation warnings in Hawaii, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The earthquake was recorded at 7:24 p.m. ET, about 78 miles east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said in its updated assessment. The agency said the quake was shallow, at a depth of about 12 miles.
A tsunami warning was in place for Hawaii and along Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands. A tsunami could cause damage along coastlines of all islands in Hawaii, the weather service said, adding “urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property.”
A tsunami is a long series of waves that may extensively flood coastal area and present dangers that could continue for many hours after the initial waves arrive. All shores are at risk in Hawaii no matter which direction they face.
Residents in the Aleutian Islands were advised to move out of the water and away from beaches, harbors, marines and inlets. Tsunamis can generate strong waves and currents, with waves that may last up to 45 minutes as it encroaches and recedes, the warning center stated. Coasts facing all directions are threatened because the waves can wrap around islands and headlands and into bays.
