A violent 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Russian Kamchatka peninsula, generating a tsunami alarm for the entire Pacific area. In Hawaii, governor Josh Green declared his state of emergency and ordered the immediate evacuation of the coastal areas, activating the state and county operating centers. “Please take this situation seriously,” he said on social media, inviting residents to head towards the hinterland.
In a subsequent press conference, Green reiterated the urgency: «This is the most serious alert that you can receive. It is not a warning ». The arrival of the wave is scheduled for 19:10 local time (6:10 GMT), with the risk of floods on all islands. The alarm sirens have already started playing and road traffic jams have occurred in different areas of the archipelago, while all Hawaii ports have been closed to naval traffic by order of the coast guard. Commercial vehicles have also been evacuated by the main airports, including that of Honolulu.
The earthquake also had repercussions on Eastern Asia. In China, the Ministry of Natural Resources has issued a yellow alert for the eastern coasts of the country, according to reports from the state media. In Japan, where you fear waves up to three meters high, the authorities have adopted drastic measures: over 40 railway lines of 17 companies have been suspended, causing inconvenience especially in the metropolitan area of Tokyo and in the coastal regions.
Sendii airport, in the north-east of Japan, closed the track as a precautionary measure, while 56 trains between rooms and expressed were deleted on the island of Hokkaido, where a tsunami with waves has already been recorded up to 40 cm high. Discomfort also on the roads, with the closings of motorway strokes, suspension of the tramway service and cancellations of ferries, especially in the Tokyo bay.
In the Tokai region, along the Pacific coast, various directions of the Tokaido line, one of the busiest in Japan, were suspended in both directions. The Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi has confirmed the interruption of different private lines, recommending citizens of the coastal areas to evacuate promptly.