Fukushima Workers Evacuated After Russia Quake Sparks Pacific-Wide Tsunami Alerts

Last Updated:July 30, 2025, 11:13 IST

The tsunami warnings extended across the Pacific Rim, including Japan, where coastal residents fled to higher ground in places like Hokkaido.

The massive undersea quake, among the strongest ever recorded in the last few years. (AFP)

Workers at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were evacuated on Wednesday after a powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific. The plant, which famously melted down after the 2011 tsunami, reported no abnormalities following the evacuation, according to operator TEPCO.

The massive undersea quake, among the strongest ever recorded, struck early on Wednesday near Petropavlovsk in Russia’s Far East, unleashing tsunami waves up to four meters high. Flooding was reported in Severo-Kurilsk, where residents were evacuated, and tremors caused panic across Kamchatka.

The tsunami warnings extended across the Pacific Rim, including Japan, where coastal residents fled to higher ground in places like Hokkaido. Waves of 30 cm were reported, but no major damage or injuries were recorded by midday.

In Hawaii, the threat prompted widespread evacuations and gridlock across Oahu, where residents scrambled to reach higher ground. The US military opened Kolekole Pass to ease traffic, warning drivers to proceed with caution. Honolulu’s mayor and Hawaii’s governor urged people to avoid shorelines, emphasising the deadly force of tsunami waves.

“People should not…stay around the shoreline or risk their lives just to see what a tsunami looks like," said Governor Josh Green. “It is not a regular wave. It will actually kill you."

Several countries, including the US, Mexico, and Ecuador, also issued coastal alerts. Emergency response teams remain on high alert across the Pacific, with advisories ongoing as wave activity continues to be monitored.

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