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People in Hawaii can return to their homes after being previously urged to move to higher ground due to a potential tsunami. The greatest damage appears to be in Russia. The epicenter of the severe earthquake was just off the eastern Russian coast.
On Wednesday morning (Dutch time), a severe earthquake occurred 126 kilometers off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the far east of Russia. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 8.8, occurred 18 kilometers below the seabed and is one of the most powerful ever measured, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
As a result of the severe earthquake, a tsunami warning was issued in several places, including Russia, Japan, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada, western US states, and the Hawaiian Islands. The Philippines has already withdrawn warnings in several coastal areas.
In Hawaii, the tsunami warning has been downgraded, meaning that island residents and tourists can return to their homes or vacation rentals, reports BBC News. The US state was hit by waves of about 1.50 meters. But truly large tidal waves did not materialize, said Governor Josh Green.
Japan also braced for tsunami waves. At least two million Japanese were evacuated, but the damage there also appears to be less than expected. The first waves are smaller than initially anticipated. However, Japanese authorities are still anticipating waves of 3 meters.
The greatest damage appears to have been caused in Russia, where the coastal town of Severo-Kurilsk was flooded by a tidal wave. A state of emergency is currently in effect in that city. According to local authorities, a number of minor injuries have occurred in the worst-hit region of Kamchatka.
Governor Vladimir Solodov confirmed the collapse of part of a kindergarten that was being renovated. No one was injured. Kamchatka is frequently hit by earthquakes. The region is eleven times the size of the Netherlands and has a population of approximately 360,000 people.
Russian seismologists warn in The Moscow Times of aftershocks in the affected area. Earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.5 may still occur in the coming days and even weeks.
The severity of the consequences of a severe earthquake like this is largely determined by how quickly countries can react. “The warning system worked well in Japan and Hawaii,” says Rob Govers, Associate Professor of Tectonophysics at Utrecht University. As a result, people there were able to evacuate in time.
In Russia, there was already a foreshock on July 20, says Govers. “But it was not recognized as such.” According to him, this is because Russia does not invest much in preventive measures. Govers: “For people in Kamchatka, it is utter misery. First they have to deal with an earthquake, and then about half an hour later a tsunami comes over it.”
Seismologist Pauline Kluiver from the KNMI explains that a number of things are necessary for the formation of a tsunami. “There must be an earthquake under the ocean floor, usually with a magnitude greater than 8,” she explains.
“The earthquake causes the water to move. If that movement reaches shallow water, such as near the coast, the water is pushed up and high waves can form.”
This happens more often in the area hit on Wednesday, because there are many tectonic plates there. “When one plate slides under another, or when they move past each other, a severe earthquake can occur,” says Kruiver.