Japan detects 30 cm tsunami in Hokkaido, NHK reports

Japan detects 30 cm tsunami in Hokkaido, NHK reports

In the wake of a powerful 8.7 magnitude earthquake that struck near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, Japan's NHK reported the detection of a 30 cm tsunami in Hokkaido. The earthquake, which occurred at 8:25 a.m. local time on Wednesday, prompted a series of tsunami advisories and warnings across the Pacific region, including Japan, Hawaii, and the West Coast of the United States [1].

The Japan Meteorological Agency initially issued a tsunami advisory for a wave of up to 1 yard along Japan's Pacific coast. However, as the situation unfolded, the agency upgraded its warning to expect tsunami waves of up to 3 meters (10 feet) to reach large coastal areas, starting around 1:00 a.m. GMT [2]. This upgrade came as a result of the earthquake's magnitude and its proximity to Japan's coastline.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System also issued a warning of "hazardous tsunami waves" within the next three hours along some coasts of Russia, Japan, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and other islands of Micronesia. Evacuation orders were issued for some coastal areas in Japan, including Hokkaido, where residents were advised to move quickly to higher ground and away from the coast [3].

The earthquake, which struck at a depth of 19.3 kilometers (12 miles), was centered 126 kilometers (80 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000 along the coast of Avacha Bay. The initial magnitude of the quake was revised from 8.0 to 8.7 by the U.S. Geological Survey [3].

While no significant damage or injuries have been reported in Japan, the earthquake and subsequent tsunami warnings have caused widespread concern and evacuation efforts. The situation remains under close monitoring by authorities and emergency response teams.

References:
[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-earthquake-kamchatka-peninsula-japan-tsunami-advisory/
[2] https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250730_80/
[3] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/powerful-quake-russias-far-east-causes-tsunami-japan-hawaii-order-evacuations-2025-07-29/