Russia's far eastern region was shaken by one of the biggest earthquakes in the world early Wednesday. An 8.8 magnitude temblor that caused tsunami waves in Japan and Alaska, prompting warnings for Hawaii, North and Central America and the Pacific islands south toward New Zealand.
Ports on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia near the quake’s epicenter flooded as residents fled inland, and frothy, white waves washed up to the shore in northern Japan. Cars jammed streets and highways in Honolulu, with standstill traffic even in areas away from the shoreline.
People were advised to move to higher ground around much of the Pacific and warned that the potential danger may last for more than a day. Most places where tsunami waves have already washed ashore have reported no significant damage so far.
A tsunami with a height of 3-4 meters (10 to 13 feet) was recorded in Kamchatka, 60 centimeters (2 feet) on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, and up to 1.4 feet (under 30 centimeters) above tide levels were observed in Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
The impact of the tsunami could last for hours or perhaps more than a day, said Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska
