A violent 8.7 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Russia's far east region, with several countries in the Pacific including Japan, Russia, Hawaii, Mexico, Ecuador and even the Philippines were issuing warnings about the impending tsunami, US authorities said.
The said earthquake triggered tsunami warnings as high as three meters (10 feet), potentially hitting the coasts of Russia, Hawaii, even Ecuador and Chile along South America’s west coast, according to the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has declared a tsunami advisory on its pacific coast after the day the megaquake occurred.
As of 10 a.m. today, PHIVOLCS issued a tsunami advisory, warning people near the coasts to be wary.
The following areas are currently under tsunami advisory:
• Batanes Group of Islands
• Cagayan
• Isabela
• Aurora
• Quezon
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Catanduanes
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Davao del Norte
• Davao Oriental
• Davao Occidental
• Davao del Sur
• Davao de Oro
Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) sounded alarm on its west coasts extending from Alaska to California.
Japan's public broadcaster, NHK also announced a tsunami warning, reaching up to three meters.
Tsunami advisories were also put on for the US island territory of Guam, and tsunami alerts were pushed to mobile phones in California, according to local AFP reporters.
The earthquake's epicenter was estimated to be the same as that of the massive 9.0 earthquake that also hit the area in 1952, capable of creating deadly waves in the wide-Pacific area.