Powerful Waves Travel Across Pacific After 8.8-Magnitude Earthquake

1 day ago A tsunami hit coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands, Japan and Hawaii and Alaska after a powerful, 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia early Wednesday. Warnings are also in place for Alaska and other coasts south toward New Zealand. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami as high as 60 centimeters (2 feet) had been detected as the waves moved south along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Tokyo Bay. Officials urged caution, saying that bigger waves could come later. Damage and evacuations were reported in the Russian regions nearest the quake’s epicenter on the Kamchatka Peninsula and officials declared a state of emergency in several areas.