Earthquake in eastern Russia registers 8.8 magnitude: the strongest in 15 years and the sixth most powerful earthquake on record.

Arab Weather - The Russian Far East experienced an extremely violent earthquake this morning, Wednesday, measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. This earthquake is the strongest globally since the 2010 Chilean earthquake and is ranked the sixth strongest earthquake recorded in modern seismic records.

Widespread tsunami and warnings cover the Pacific Ocean

The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across vast areas across the Pacific Ocean, including Japan, the Philippines, Hawaii, the West Coast of the United States, and the Pacific Islands. Waves reached heights of 3–4 meters off the eastern coast of Russia, and varying waves were recorded in Japan, Hawaii, and California.

Mass evacuation and emergency movements

Russian authorities evacuated thousands of residents from the Kuril Islands and towns near the earthquake's epicenter, while Japan announced the evacuation of nearly 2 million people from its northern coast in anticipation of a tsunami. Air and sea traffic were disrupted in several affected areas.

The earthquake is superficial and its impact is widespread.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of only 19 kilometers, making it a shallow earthquake, which increased the intensity of the tremors and made them felt far away. Eyewitnesses reported swaying buildings and power outages in several coastal cities.

Limited losses so far

Despite the magnitude of the incident, Russian authorities have reported only minor injuries and no deaths so far, while assessment and search operations continue in the affected areas.