Massive Quake Triggers Alarms, Tsunami, Traffic Rush Across 4 Continents: Panic Caught On Camera

Last Updated:July 30, 2025, 10:35 IST

Buildings shook and sirens wailed as a rare 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off a Russian peninsula, triggering a tsunami that sent four continents scrambling for higher ground

A tsunami with a height of 3 to 4 metres was recorded in parts of Kamchatka, Sergei Lebedev, Reuters reported. (Image: @volcaholic1/X)

A devastating magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday, shaking buildings, triggering tsunami alerts, and setting off panic across four continents. With alarms sounding from Asia to South America, the quake led to mass evacuations, chaotic traffic, and viral footage capturing the terrifying moments as the earth trembled and sea levels surged.

8.8 Quake Jolts Kamchatka, Buildings Rocked For Seconds

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake struck at 8:25 AM local time on July 30 at a depth of 74 kilometres, with its epicentre 133 km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a key city in Russia’s Far East.

Terrifying videos from inside homes and buildings showed structures shaking non-stop for several seconds, sending chandeliers swinging, walls cracking, and terrified residents screaming as they ran out.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said this was the strongest earthquake recorded in Kamchatka since 1952. Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov confirmed that it was a “serious" seismic event, adding that no deaths or injuries had been reported so far.

Visuals also showed waterlines receding from the shore, followed by tsunami waves rushing inland.

Panic, Sirens, Evacuations As Footage Floods Social Media

As the tremors hit, tsunami sirens went off across Russia’s Pacific coastline, with residents in Petropavlovsk and Severo-Kurilsk scrambling to higher ground. Evacuation orders were swiftly issued by local officials.

Footage showed traffic jams on narrow evacuation routes, police loudspeakers blaring alerts, and families grabbing emergency kits as they rushed out of their homes. In Severo-Kurilsk, Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko confirmed that evacuations were underway due to the tsunami threat.

In Japan, the Meteorological Agency raised its tsunami alert, warning that waves up to 3 metres (10 feet) could hit the Pacific coast between 10:00 am and 11:30 am local time. Cities along Hokkaido and Tohoku were put on alert.

Meanwhile, in Hawaii, civil defence authorities issued a statewide tsunami warning, with sirens sounding from Honolulu to Hilo. Evacuation shelters were activated and public transport suspended in low-lying areas. USGS and NOAA’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre confirmed that the first waves were expected by 7:15 PM HST.

The US West Coast, including Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington, was placed under a tsunami advisory. Emergency agencies warned beachgoers to avoid coastlines, piers, and ports.

The Global Impact Zones

The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings, watches, or advisories in dozens of locations across the Pacific. Alerts affected all major regions bordering the ocean:

Asia

Russia: Kamchatka, Kuril Islands, SakhalinJapan: Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima

North America

United States: Hawaii (warning), Alaska (advisory), California, Oregon, WashingtonCanada: British Columbia (coastal alerts)

Oceania & Pacific Islands

Guam, 🇵🇼 Palau, 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands, 🇵🇫 French Polynesia, 🇦🇸 American Samoa, 🇰🇮 Kiribati

South America

Peru and 🇨🇱 Chile (advisories for northern coastal zones)

This made the tsunami alert one of the widest issued in recent decades, impacting four continents and dozens of coastal populations.

Fallout: 4-Metre Waves, Flooding & Power Outages

According to Reuters, tsunami waves reaching 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 feet) were observed along parts of the Kamchatka coast. Photos and videos showed seawater surging past docks, swamping fishing towns, and rising all the way to buildings near the shoreline.

Clips from Severo-Kurilsk captured waves crashing into breakwaters and pushing fishing vessels inland. Minor structural damage and localised flooding were reported. Some remote areas experienced power outages, but major infrastructural collapse was avoided.

In Japan, initial tsunami waves of up to 40 centimetres were recorded in parts of Hokkaido, including Tokachi, shortly after the quake. The Japan Meteorological Agency maintained its tsunami warning into Wednesday, cautioning that larger waves of up to three metres could follow and urging residents to stay away from coastal areas until the all-clear was given.

In Hawaii, a statewide tsunami warning was issued, and sirens were activated across Honolulu and other cities. While early reports did not confirm major wave impact, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre warned of ongoing risk, especially in low-lying harbours and beach zones, advising people to remain off the shoreline.

The US Weather Service forecast wave heights between 0.7 and 1.3 feet along parts of Washington’s outer coast, including areas near Moclips, and noted that no inland flooding was expected. Coastal residents were still advised to avoid beaches and marinas as a precaution.

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