A magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Russia, with its epicenter 136 km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
On July 30, 2025, a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck 119 km (74 mi) off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East. The earthquake occurred in the Kuril-Kamchatka subduction zone, which is located at the meeting point of the Asian-Pacific and North American tectonic plates. Its depth was 20.7 km (12.9 mi), which triggered tsunami warnings in the Pacific region.
Tsunami waves hit the port in Severo-Kurilsk, destroying a fish processing plant and other structures. Waves of 3–4 meters (10–13 feet) swept away boats and storage containers. About 2,700 people were evacuated from the area to safer places.
Several buildings, including a kindergarten, were damaged in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and the power grid was disrupted in Sakhalin. Some people suffered minor injuries, but no fatalities were reported.
Tsunami warnings were issued for various areas of Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami alert for coastal areas of Hokkaido and Honshu, warning of waves up to 3 meters high.
In addition, tsunami warnings were issued for Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Chiba, Shizuoka, Mie, Wakayama, Miyazaki, Kujukuri, Boso Peninsula and the Ogasawara Islands.
A tsunami wave of 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) reached Iwate Prefecture, and about 1.9 million people were ordered to evacuate.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also issued a tsunami warning for other areas, including China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Guam, Peru, Ecuador, and Hawaii in the US.
The volcano, which is the highest active volcano in Eurasia, erupted after the earthquake, causing lava flows and explosions.
About 1.9 million people in Japan were ordered to evacuate, and workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant were moved to safer locations. Tsunami warnings in Hawaii and Japan were later downgraded to advisories, as the potential for large waves diminished.