Americans living along the Pacific coast have been told to move to higher ground after a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami alerts across Hawaii, Alaska and the West Coast.
Evacuation orders were issued for low-lying areas of Hawaii overnight, with sirens blaring across parts of Oahu and residents seen scrambling to pack bags and flee inland.
Many residents raced for higher ground to stay safe as the first tsunami waves hit Hawaii on Wednesday morning. The rush has triggered huge traffic jams stretching many miles.
In Alaska, emergency management officials warned that powerful waves could strike within hours, urging coastal communities to stay alert.
In California, Oregon and Washington, beachgoers were told to stay out of the water as tsunami watches stretched across thousands of miles of coastline.
