A tsunami advisory was issued for the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, and a tsunami watch was issued for the entire West Coast, stretching from the California-Mexico border up to Chignik Bay, Alaska.
A powerful 8.7 magnitude earthquake hit near Russia 's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan 's meteorological agency to issue a tsunami alert and the National Weather Service to issue a tsunami warning for the state of Hawaii.
A tsunami advisory was also issued for the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, and a tsunami watch was issued for the entire West Coast, stretching from the California-Mexico border up to Chignik Bay, Alaska.Japan's meteorological agency said the quake occurred at 8:25 a.m. local time on Wednesday and registered a preliminary magnitude of 8.0, later adjusted by the U.S. Geological Survey to 8.7.'A tsunami has been generated that could cause damage along coastlines of all islands in the state of Hawaii. Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,' the National Weather Service said in an alert. The arrival of the first wave was predicted at around 7:17 p.m. local time, or about 1:17 a.m. ET.'The danger can continue for many hours after an initial wave as subsequent waves arrive,' NWS said. 'Tsunami heights cannot be predicted and the first wave may not be the largest. Tsunami waves efficiently wrap around around islands. All shores are at risk no matter which direction they face.'The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake hit at a depth of 19.3 kilometers, or about 12 miles.So far, no damage has been reported.The quake was about 160 miles away from Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost of the country's four big islands, and was felt only slightly, according to Japan's NHK television.According to Japan's tsunami advisory, which is a lower-level warning than a tsunami alert, a first wave of tsunami was expected in eastern Hokkaido around an hour and a half after the quake. The government said it set up a task force for information gathering and response in case of any emergency.A University of Tokyo seismologist, Shinichi Sakai, told NHK that a distant earthquake could cause a tsunami that affects Japan if its epicenter is shallow.Japan, part of the area known as the Pacific ring of fire, is one of the world's most quake-prone country. It's Russia's second major earthquake this month that occurred in the same peninsula.Over a week ago, five powerful quakes — the largest with a magnitude of 7.4 — struck Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. And earlier this month, a tsunami advisory for Alaska's southern peninsula was issued after a major earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 hit the Aleutian Islands area.On Nov. 4, 1952, a magnitude 9.0 quake in Kamchatka caused damage but no reported deaths despite setting off 9.1-meter waves in Hawaii.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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