A powerful earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia at around 11:25 a.m. local time on Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in the U.S. and Japan.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located approximately 136 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula, at a depth of 19 kilometers.
Fears of a tsunami have prompted evacuations across Russia, Japan and Hawaii and parts of the US West Coast.
Tsunami waves of up to 3-4 meters have been reported in Kamchatka, while 30 cm waves have hit a city in Hokkaido, northern Japan.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green has urged people to follow evacuation orders and remain calm, while US President Donald Trump advised Americans to be on alert for tsunami warnings.
Several people have been injured in Kamchatka due to the earthquake and strong aftershocks are expected, the TASS news agency reports.
Tsunami warnings of varying levels have also been issued for parts of China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Guam, Peru and the Galapagos Islands near Ecuador. (A2 Televizion)
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