Videos posted on social media today show a tsunami washing away homes near the coast as it surged into Severo-Kurilsk in Russia's Far East. Severo-Kurilsk's mayor, Alexander Ovsyannikov, reported the tsunami reached about 400 meters inland.
Much of the town, situated on higher ground, escaped flooding. "People had an hour before the wave hit, enough time to evacuate. All residents are in a safe zone," Ovsyannikov said.
Tsunami sweeps away homes in Severo-Kurilsk, Russia's Far East on 30/7. Video: CBC
An expedition group from the Russian Geographical Society was on the nearby Shumshu Island when the tsunami hit, sweeping away their camp.
"When the wave came, all we could do was run to higher ground. The entire camp and structures were washed away, our belongings scattered hundreds of meters across the beach. Everyone acted quickly and is safe, but we lost everything", said group member Vera Kostamo.
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck at 11:24 a.m. local time (0024 GMT). Its epicenter was 19 km below the seabed, about 136 km east of Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), it is one of the 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded.
The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific, prompting evacuations in several areas.
In Japan, nearly two million residents were advised to evacuate, many traveling by car or on foot to higher ground. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a 1.3-meter tsunami hit a port in the northern Iwate prefecture. There are no reports of casualties or damage yet.
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Tsunami floods Severo-Kurilsk. Photo: AFP |
Tsunami floods Severo-Kurilsk. Photo: AFP
According to the US Tsunami Warning Center, waves over 3 meters above tide level could occur along some coasts of Ecuador, the Hawaiian Islands, and Russia. Waves of 1-3 meters could appear along some coasts of Chile, Costa Rica, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Japan and other Pacific islands.
1-meter waves could occur in many other locations, including Australia, Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand, Tonga, and Taiwan.
Huyen Le (AFP, Reuters)
