Tsunami warnings issued in several Asian and American countries

Tsunami warnings

 Tsunami warnings issued in several Asian and American countries after a powerful earthquake in Russia

Several Pacific Ocean countries have issued tsunami warnings following a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck in the early hours of Wednesday morning off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.

The Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported that the earthquake was the strongest in the region since 1952, generating waves up to 3 to 4 meters high that struck parts of the eastern coast. Consequently, several Asian and American countries have raised their alert levels, amid concerns that the tsunami could spread to their coasts, including Japan, the Philippines, and the United States.

The service's statement on Telegram indicated that major aftershocks, which could reach a magnitude of 7.5, are expected to continue for at least another month. Following the earthquake, Russia, Japan, Mexico, the United States, the Philippines, and Indonesia issued tsunami warnings.

Tsunami in several Asian and American countries

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said the warning area included the Aleutian Islands and the Samalaja Passage in Alaska, as well as the California coast. The U.S. Coast Guard ordered all commercial vessels to leave Hawaiian ports and prevented any incoming vessels from entering until the tsunami warnings were lifted. In Asia, China warned of the risk of a tsunami that could reach parts of the eastern part of the country, while Ecuador issued a precautionary evacuation order for the coasts of the Galapagos Islands, and Peru issued an official tsunami warning for its Pacific coast.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry announced that tsunami waves caused flooding in the city of Severo-Kurilsk, north of the Kuril Islands, indicating that waters submerged parts of the coastal city, necessitating the evacuation of residents as a precautionary measure. Following the earthquake, TEPCO, the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in eastern Japan, announced the evacuation of all employees at the facility, which suffered a nuclear accident in 2011, in anticipation of a new tsunami threat.

Travel Disruption and Flight Diversions

Tsunami warnings have caused increased travel disruptions on the US West Coast and in Hawaii. FlightRadar24 data reported diversions, delays, and cancellations at several airports, particularly flights bound for Honolulu, which originated in Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Francisco, and San Diego and returned to their respective airports. Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines announced the suspension of flights to Hawaii and the rerouting of some other flights.

What is a tsunami? How does it travel across the ocean?

A tsunami is a series of powerful waves, often caused by an undersea earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide that suddenly dislodges large volumes of ocean water. These waves move at great speed in the depths of the ocean and are easily unnoticeable, but they rise dramatically as they approach land, appearing as a wall of water or a flash flood. A tsunami is not a single wave, but rather a series of successive waves that can last for hours and vary in intensity from coast to coast. Sometimes, the water suddenly recedes from the shore before the largest wave hits, a serious warning sign.

Scientists warn of complex wave patterns

A seismologist said tsunamis could strike Hawaii's coast in complex patterns, as residents rushed to higher ground to avoid danger. Helen Janiszewski, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said a tsunami is not like a normal ocean wave, but more like a flood surge that surges toward land. She explained that traditional ocean waves, which are formed by winds, break and recede quickly, while tsunami waves have longer wavelengths and may continue to surge for several periods, making them a frequent hazard along low-lying coasts.