Tsunami waves hit Hawaii after huge quake off Russia

Ocean pulses from the Kamchatka Peninsula earthquake have already come ashore in Japan, but their size might seem puzzling.

The largest waves so far were measured at almost 24 inches, small waves if compared to ocean surf. They arrived on the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu shortly after 1 p.m. local time, the country’s meteorological agency said.

The two Japanese islands were earlier hit by even smaller waves of about 12, 16 and 20 inches. No deaths or major damage have been reported so far.

Height may be deceiving: Tsunamis can be relatively low if measured vertically, but they’re more often powered by their long length, which brings with it more potency than an everyday ocean wave.

An academic analysis of tsunami science that appears on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website says there is no agreed-upon measure of potency for the waves, but asserts: “Tsunamis are long waves of small steepness.”

The massive earthquake that struck off the coast of Russia could be one of the biggest ever recorded if its 8.8 magnitude remains unchanged.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the tremor off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula is tied for the sixth largest on record, along with a 2010 earthquake off the coast of Chile. The agency said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of about 13 miles and was centered about 75 miles east-southeast of the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

It is the world’s largest earthquake since the 2011 earthquake off the coast of Japan, which had a magnitude of 9.1 and set off the Fukushima tsunami and nuclear meltdown. In Russia, it was the largest earthquake since one in the same area in 1952 that measured 9.0.

The biggest earthquake on record is the 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile, which had a magnitude of 9.5.

Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines said flights to Hawaii were on hold as the merged, sister carriers monitor the expected tsunami and its aftermath.

“We are holding flight departures to the Islands on Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines,” Hawaiian said in a statement. Flights in the air were ordered to return to the mainland or divert to a suitable airport, it said.

Ticket-holders were asked to check the status of their flights before heading to their departure airport. Travel plans affected by the flight pause could be eligible for waivers, Hawaiian said.

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The effects of the tsunami waves are initially expected to appear on the coast of Kauai, followed by the Big Island about 20 to 30 minutes later, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said.

“These massive waves can wrap around the island shore, so impacts may occur at any point along the coast. AVOID THE AREA,” the agency said in a post on X.

Witness videos captured the powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the far east. The earthquake triggered a tsunami alert, with the first wave hitting the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk.

Japan’s meteorological agency said tsunami warnings remained in place since waves were still being observed and asked those in the warning zones to remain in safe locations.

Agency official Masashi Kiyomoto said each wave cycle was lasting about an hour and that there had been two to three cycles so far. He said it was too early to say whether the waves were getting larger with each cycle.

Based on similar-sized earthquakes in the region in the past, the tsunamis could last for about a day, he said.

Hawaii’s tourism chief tonight said visitors in high-rise hotels and resorts should head to higher floors where possible.

James Kunane Tokioka, state director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, called such a move “vertical evacuation.”

“Properties along the coastline are being asked to evacuate vertically, four floors and above,” he said, meaning tourists should be at least on the fourth floor before any waves arrive.

The Waikiki coast in Honolulu is packed with high-rise hotels and resorts.

Japan, where the earthquake was barely felt, has reported the biggest tsunami waves so far, measuring 60 centimeters, or almost 2 feet.

One arrived at 1:11 p.m. local time (12:11 a.m. ET) in the town of Hamanaka in the southern region of the northernmost island of Hokkaido, according to Japan’s meteorological agency. The other was at 1:03 p.m. at Kuji port in Iwate Prefecture on Japan’s main island of Honshu.

Earlier, Japan reported waves on Honshu and Hokkaido of about 12 to 20 inches. Officials had said waves could reach as high as about 3 feet.

The Coast Guard has ordered all commercial vessels at commercial ports in Hawaii to evacuate.

In a post on X, the agency attributed the order to the captain of the Port of Honolulu. It also said all harbors in the state have been closed to incoming traffic.

In its advice about responding to a tsunami, the federal website ready.gov says, “If you are in a boat, go out to sea.”

The governor of Hawaii tonight emphasized that tsunami effects could be real and costly, as potent ocean pulses from the 8.8-magnitude quake east of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula were expected at around 7:17 p.m. local time (1:17 a.m. ET).

Gov. Josh Green said impacts are almost certain. “We do expect damage. We expect significant damage along the coastlines,” he said.

“We pray that we won’t lose any of our loved ones,” he continued.