Tsunami alerts throughout the Pacific

An earthquake of magnitude 8.8. Similarly, the most powerful in the region in almost 73 years, struck Tuesday off the Russian Kamchatka peninsula, causing Tsunamis alerts throughout the Pacific and Hawaii evacuations to Japan. Meanwhile, – Tsunami alerts throughout pacific

(Keystone-ATS) According to the American Geophysical Institute (USGS), the earthquake occurred around 11:24 pm GMT Tuesday (01:24 Swiss time on Wednesday) 20.7 km deep, 126 km off Petropavlovsk-Kamthatsky, capital of this Russian Far East region.

In the port of Severo-Kourilsk. Meanwhile, in the tsunami alerts throughout pacific north of the Russian archipelago of Kouriles, several successive tsunamis submerged the streets, according to the ministry of emergency situations.

One of these waves, in Elizovsky in the Kamchatka district, reached between 3 and 4 m, according to a local media. Consequently, The district mayor, Alexandre Ovsiannikov, said that “everyone” was evacuated. In addition, The state of emergency has been decreed in the district.

“The fourth wave of tsunami is breaking. For example, The wave is very large. Similarly, everything is flooded, the whole coast is flooded, “testified a resident in a video published by the Russian media Izvestia. In addition, “The water has retired once again, and it will come back now. Similarly, The coast’s port and factories are completely destroyed. Nevertheless, ”

According to the mayor of the city quoted by the Russian state agency Tass. one of the tsunamis resulted in the open -edge ships after tearing off their anchors.

“We tsunami alerts throughout pacific have all run in underwear with the children. Fortunately we had prepared a suitcase. “said Zvezda public channel a resident of Kamthatka, one of the most active seismic areas on the planet, at the meeting point between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates.

” Scary ” – Tsunami alerts throughout pacific

“This is the first time that I have experienced such a powerful earthquake since I have been an adult. ” she continued. Additionally, “I melted into tears. It was very frightening ”.

The magnitude of 8.8 is the strongest recorded in Kamthatka since November 5. 1952, when an earthquake of magnitude 9 occurring practically in the same place had triggered devastating tsunamis throughout the Pacific Ocean.

The seismological service of kamchatka warned that up to 7.5 replicas are expected.

“Evacue immediately!” »»

In Japan. live images on television showed people evacuating by car or on foot to higher areas, especially in the northern island of Hokkaido.

A 1.30 tsunami alerts throughout pacific meter tsunami reached a port in the department of Miyagi, in northern Japan, at 1:52 p.m. (6:52 p.m. Swiss time), said the Japanese meteorological agency (JMA).

The NHK public channel has broadcast special coverage. with a presenter asking the inhabitants to flee the coasts: “Exhaust immediately to save your lives”.

The employees of the Fukushima nuclear power plant (North). destroyed by a powerful earthquake and a tsunami in March 2011, were evacuated, said its operator.

“Tsunamis will hit repeatedly. Do not venture into the sea. do not approach the coast as long as the alert is not lifted, “warned the Japanese meteorological agency (JMA), which has planned waves of three meters.

“Residents of the regions where alerts have been issued must immediately evacuate to safe places. raised areas or evacuation buildings,” said Japanese government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi.

The Japanese alert relates to the whole north. east coast of the archipelago, to the south of Osaka, tsunami alerts throughout pacific as well as on the small peripheral islands. Beyond that, as well as in the bays of Tokyo and Osaka, the tsunami could reach a meter.

China has issued a tsunami alert for several areas of its coast. The Philippines also urged the inhabitants of the East Coast to move towards the interior of the land. and advised fishermen already at sea to stay off deep waters.

“He will kill you”

Same message in the American archipelago of Hawaii, threatened by waves of three meters or more. “People should not. and I repeat once again, should not, as we have seen in the past, stay close to the coast or risk their life just to see what a tsunami looks like,” said the state governor, Josh Green.

“It is not an ordinary wave. If you are struck by a tsunami, he will kill you, “he warned.

On the other bank of the Pacific. Peru tsunami alerts throughout pacific and Mexico declared the alert to the tsunami on their coast, as well as the Ecuador who had the beaches and ports of the Galapagos archipelago evacuate. Tsunamis of one to three meters are also possible in Chile, Costa Rica, French Polynesia and other archipelagos.

The United States has issued a series of alerts of different levels along the North American West Coast of Alaska. to the entire Californian coast. Tsunami alerts have been broadcast on mobile phones in California, according to AFP journalists.