US, Japan, Russia coasts battered by 3-5m tsunami waves as Pacific nations brace for rising seas
Dramatic images have emerged of tourists desperately running back to their cruise ship before the vessel leaves to dodge a tsunami – with many left behind.
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Arresting images have emerged of cruise line passengers apparently being abandoned in Hawaii as the vessel frantically leaves port in order to avoid a possible tsunami following a massive earthquake in the Pacific Ocean.
Footage of people running to catch the cruise were posted onto social media site TikTok, reports The Sun.
“Actually insane,” said user demifreeman who posted the video. “We are going to be in the middle of the tsunami in the ocean”.
Meanwhile, a cruise influencer known as Mandy, posted to TikTok that her ship had left without her and she was headed to higher ground.
“People are upset. Nobody knows what’s going on, we have family on the ship, they’re terrified for us, we’re terrified for us.
“People are crying, this is crazy”.
It appears that vessel was operated by Norwegian Cruise Lines. Boats often leave port during a tsunami as the effects of the waves at sea is often far less pronounced then when the waves hit land.
On UK TV program BBC Breakfast, British tourist Rachael Burrows said she was visiting Hawaii on a cruise when the tsunami warnings erupted. She said she was told by a tour guide on a shore excursion that it was “time to go” and she rushed back to the boat.
“We were luckily some of the last ones to get on the cruise ship,” Ms Burrows said.
“Then we could see a lot of other people getting dropped off and lining up, but they didn’t make it”.
A magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Pacific coast on Wednesday. It’s one of the largest earthquakes the world has seen.
Evacuations have now been ordered on Pacific Islands close to Latin America. People on Ecuador’s famous Easter Island have been evacuated away from the coast.
Tsunami waves have hit the US mainland after the world’s biggest earthquake in 14 years sparked warnings for millions in the northern hemisphere.
However, the US’ Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said the threat to America has now “passed completely” by Wednesday afternoon, US time.
Waves did hit the US however. One more than 1 metre in height hit Crescent City in northern California on Wednesday morning, local time.
In Japan, wave heights reached more than 1.2 metres in the Kuji Port and Hamanaka areas. Tokyo said its nuclear power plants, including Fukushima on the coast which was the victim of a previous tsunami, were safe.
The worst-hit nation has been Russia with waves in some places of more than three metres and possibly up to five.
Images from the Pacific town of Severo-Kurilsk show damage caused by the waves including a fish processing plant that was washed away. Another video showed buildings in the town submerged in seawater.
‘Walls shaking’
Russian authorities said the population of around 2000 people was evacuated safely after several people were injured by the quake
“The walls were shaking,” a Kamchatka resident told Russian state media.
“It’s good that we packed a suitcase, there was one with water and clothes near the door. We quickly grabbed it and ran out … It was very scary,” she said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov took a day off from justifying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to turn to the earthquake and tsunamis.
“In general, the seismic resistance of the buildings proved itself, so thank God there are no victims,” he told reporters.
There have been no known casualties in Russia or elsewhere.
Tsunami warnings
In Hawaii, evacuation centres were set up as a precaution, but the local government has since lifted its evacuation order with no “wave of consequence” occurring.
Tsunami warnings in the Cook Islands have now been downgraded as well as parts of British Columbia in Canada and Alaska.
Largest quake since 2011
The quake reached a magnitude of 8.8 and struck off east-southeast of Kamchatka off the coast of Russia, about 9.24pm (AEST).
It is the largest earthquake to hit since 2011, when a 9.1 megaquake hit northeast Japan and left 19,747 people either dead or missing — and it is the strongest in the region since 1952.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has added Australia to its advisory, saying waves of 0.3 to 1m are possible along the east coast.
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US President Donald Trump urged Americans to “stay strong and stay safe” on Tuesday night.
“Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii. A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit tsunami.gov/ for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!” he wrote.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3km, centred about 125km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000.
The USGC has recorded six earthquakes in total off the coast of Russia, with initial readings of magnitude 6.9, 6.3, 5.4, 5.7 and 5.6.
An 8.8 magnitude earthquake was the region’s strongest since 1952, with aftershocks of up to 7.5 magnitude possible, the regional seismic monitoring service said, per Agence France-Presse.
Kamchatka’s geophysical service said: “The strongest earthquake since 1952 has just occurred in the Kamchatka seismic zone … Given the scale of the event, strong aftershocks with a magnitude of up to 7.5 should be expected.”
“Unfortunately, there are patients who were injured during the earthquake … All patients are in satisfactory condition. No serious injuries have been reported at this time,” Kamchatka region health minister Oleg Melnikov was quoted as saying by the state TASS news agency.
Originally published as US, Japan, Russia coasts battered by 3-5m tsunami waves as Pacific nations brace for rising seas
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