8.8 magnitude quake

Tsunami danger appears to be subsiding in some places after 8.8 magnitude quake

By The Associated Press

A tsunami sent waves into Russia, Japan, Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Russian Far East early Wednesday.

The quake was one of the biggest temblors ever recorded. Several people were injured, but none seriously, and no major damage has been reported so far.

The danger already appeared to be lessening in some places, with authorities in Hawaii and parts of Japan and Russia downgrading their warnings.

Here's the latest:

Threat to US ‘has passed completely’

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the threat of a major tsunami hitting the United States “has passed completely.”

Noem, speaking in Chile where she is attending meetings with officials, told reporters in the capital, Santiago: “We’re in really good shape right now. We were fully deployed and ready to respond if necessary, but grateful that we didn’t have to deal with the situation that this could have been.”

Chile raises tsunami warning to highest level

Chile has upgraded its tsunami warning to its highest level.

The red alert covers most of its 6,400-kilometer (4,000-mile) Pacific coastline, from Arica and Parinacota near its northern border to Magallanes in the far south.

The Education Ministry also canceled classes along much of the coast.

Explosions and lava flows on Russian volcano

Lava has begun to flow from the largest active volcano in the northern hemisphere Wednesday following the earthquake off Russia’s far eastern coast.

The Klyuchevskaya Sopka — which last erupted in 2023 — stands at 4,750 meters (15,584 feet) in the east of Russia’s Kamchatka region.

Observers heard explosions and saw streams of lava on the volcano’s western slopes, the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ geophysical service said.

Scientists have anticipated an eruption, with the volcano’s crater filling with lava for several weeks and the mountain spitting out plumes of ash.

Sometimes described as the “land of fire and ice,” Kamchatka is one of the most active volcanic regions in the world. It has about 300 volcanoes, of which 29 are active, according to NASA Earth Observatory.

California city urges people to stay away from beaches

Officials warned people to stay away from beaches and waterways in Crescent City, California, which has observed dozens of tsunamis since the 1930s, including one that killed 11 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings in the city in 1964.

The warning came after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's Far East coast on Wednesday. The U.S. National Weather Service’s Eureka office reported tsunami waves with a maximum height of 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) in Crescent City — enough to create minor coastal flooding and inundation.

The 1964 event, considered the worst tsunami disaster recorded in the United States, began with a 9.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska, according to the Crescent City website. Three smaller waves caused little damage, but then a big wave — nearly 21 feet (more than 6 meters) — devastated 29 city blocks and killed 11.

The city’s downtown was mostly rebuilt and today a walking tour highlights high-water marks posted on surviving buildings, objects pushed by waves and memorials to those who died.

Japan downgrades last tsunami alert

Japan has downgraded its last remaining tsunami alert, which was in the country’s north.

Tsunami advisories remain in place for its Pacific coast following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off Russia's Far East on Wednesday.

Russian authorities cancel tsunami warnings for 2 regions

Russian authorities on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands have canceled their tsunami warnings but say the risk of aftershocks and waves remains.

The regional branch of Russia’s Emergency Ministry on Kamchatka warned that scientists expect aftershocks at magnitudes of up to 7.5. It said that more tsunamis are possible in the Avacha Bay where the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located.

Russia says regional authorities were prepared

The Kremlin said that regional authorities on Kamchatka were well prepared for the quake.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the warnings were issued timely and people were quickly evacuated from dangerous areas. He added that the buildings proved resilient to shocks.

Tsunami-driven tides build in northern California

Tsunami activity continued to build in northern California as high tide approached Wednesday morning with maximum confirmed heights along the coast of 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) in Crescent City, 3.0 feet (.9 meters) in Arena Cove and 1.2 feet (.4 meters) in Humboldt Bay, according to the National Weather Service office in Eureka.

The measurements in Crescent City and Arena Cove were high enough to create minor coastal flooding and inundation, the weather service said on social media, adding that tsunami activity will persist and people should avoid beaches and harbors.

Crescent City officials warned on social media that higher surges could arrive around high tide and could affect lower lying areas. They asked people to stay away from beaches and waterways.

Hawaii and parts of Japan downgrade tsunami warnings

Hawaii and parts of Japan downgraded tsunami warnings, with Hawaii lifting evacuation orders across the state while leaving a tsunami advisory in place.

Officials in Hawaii said residents who had evacuated could return to their homes.

Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, the Adjutant General of the State of Hawaii Department of Defense, said an advisory means there is the potential for strong currents and dangerous waves, as well as flooding on beaches or in harbors.

Russia declares state of emergency in areas hit by earthquake

The Russian authorities declared a state of emergency on the Kuril Islands and in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the main city on the Kamchatka peninsula.

They earlier reported that several tsunami waves flooded the fishing port of Severo-Kurilsk, the main city on the islands, and cut power supplies to the area. Russia's Oceanography Institute said tsunami waves that hit the city topped 6 meters (19 feet).

Japan asserts territorial rights to the four Pacific islands it calls the Northern Territories. They were taken by the Soviet Union in the final days of World War II, and the dispute has kept the countries from signing a peace treaty.

8.8-magnitude quake was among the strongest this century

Wednesday’s 8.8-magnitude quake was among the four strongest earthquakes this century, and among the eight strongest since 1900, according to the USGS.

The earthquake occurred along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.

The 2011 Japan quake and the 2004 earthquake off Indonesia were 9.1 magnitude, and a 2010 earthquake in Chile also was recorded at 8.8 magnitude.