Massive 8.8 Magnitude Earthquake Off Russia’s Far East Triggers Tsunami Alerts in Hawaii and California

The 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 30, 2025, was one of the most powerful ever recorded, striking at a shallow depth of about 12 miles, roughly 74-85 miles east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. It triggered widespread tsunami alerts across the Pacific, including Hawaii and California, due to its location on a megathrust fault in the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region notorious for seismic activity. Tsunami waves reached Hawaii, with Oahu and Maui recording waves up to 4-5.7 feet above normal sea levels, prompting evacuations and sirens urging residents to seek higher ground. California saw smaller waves, with Crescent City recording up to 3.6 feet and minor surges in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Advisories were also issued for Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and parts of Latin America, though most were downgraded within 24 hours as no major damage or casualties were reported. In Russia, the port town of Severo-Kurilsk faced 13-16 foot waves, causing flooding but no significant injuries. The event also triggered the eruption of Klyuchevskoy volcano in Kamchatka, with aftershocks up to 6.9 magnitude expected to continue for weeks. Despite the quake’s intensity, the lack of widespread destruction was attributed to the region’s low population density and preparedness measures.