A powerful earthquake off the coast of Russia’s far east triggered tsunami warnings in Hawaii and California and sent people fleeing to higher ground across the Pacific, but initial fears subsided as the tsunami waves reached U.S. territory.
“Everything has been OK so far. We haven’t seen a big wave,” Gov. Josh Green said before Hawaii’s tsunami warning was downgraded and evacuation orders lifted. Waves as high as 5.7 feet above normal sea level were recorded in the state.
Tsunami waves that reached the West Coast of the U.S. early Wednesday peaked at 3½ feet on the northern California coast near the Oregon border. Rapid tidal swings of one to two feet were recorded around Monterey Bay, where an evacuation order was issued for residents living near the water.
The earthquake struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on the Pacific coast on Wednesday morning local time. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the earthquake at magnitude 8.8, making it one of the 10 biggest on record if confirmed, according to the agency.
As warnings sounded in Hawaii, people in Oahu rushed to higher ground in vehicles, crowding gas stations and supermarkets for supplies. As traffic slowed, the U.S. military opened army roads to speed up evacuation.
Flights to Hawaii were canceled, delayed or rerouted to the mainland. All flights in and out of Maui were canceled and all commercial harbors were closed.
