Tsunami Advisory by the Tsunami Warning Center following the 8.7 quake off Russia - Red - warning, Orange - advisory, Yellow - watch, Purple - threat. Photo credit: Tsunami Warning Center.
Source: RNZ Pacific
The US Geological Survey has further upgraded the powerful quake off Russia to magnitiude 8.8 quake, which occured 133km south east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami watch for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Center says the potential tsunami impact is still being evaluated (as of 11:35am NZT).
It says if a threat exists, the earliest arrival for Guam, Rota, Saipan or Tinian would be 2.37pm Chamorro Standard Time (5:37pm NZT).
It says a threat to American Samoa from this earthquake is still under investigation.
The US Geological Survey said hazardous tsunami waves were possible within next three hours along some coasts of Russia and Japan.
The Tsunami Warning centres says tsunami waves reaching more than three metres about the tide level are possible along some coasts:
- Nothern Western Hawai’i islands
- Russia
The tsuami waves reaching one to three meters above the tide level are possible along some coasts of Chile, Hawaii, Japan and Nothern Hawaiian islands, and Solomon Islands.
An evacuation has been ordered along the coast of Oahu in Hawai’i, including parts of Honolulu following the massive earthquake.
Officials say the first of a series of destructive tsunami waves is expected at 7:17pm local Hawai’i time (Hawai’i time or 5:17pm today NZT).
The US Tsunami Warning Center says the danger may continue for many hours after the initial wave, and that wave heights cannot be predicted.
It says tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to one metre above the tide level are possible for some coasts of:
- American Samoa
- Chuuk
- Cook Islands
- Fiji
- French Polynesia
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Niue
- Papua New Guinea
- Pitcairn islands
- Samoa
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
- Wallis and futuna
For Hawai’i
A tsunami warning has been issued for the state of Hawai’i effective at 2:43pm local time.
It says a tsunami has been generated that could cause damage along coastlines of all islands in Hawai’i.
Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property.
The estimated arrival time in Hawaii of the first tsunami wave is 7:17pm local time 29 July (5:17pm NZT, 30 July)
Other warnings
The Tsuami Warning Centre says based on all available data there is a threat to Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan.
It says sea level fluctuations and strong ocean currents that could be a hazard along beaches in harbors and in coastal waters.
It says the earliest estimated time that hazardous sea level fluctuations and strong ocean currents may begin in Guam, Rota, Tiniana and Saipan is 2:37pm local time (5:27pm NZT).
It says recommended actions include:
- Persons in the ocean should get out of the water.
- Persons near the ocean should move away from beaches and harbors.
- Follow instructions as they are given by government agencies.
Hawai’i evacuation
An evacuation has been ordered along the coast of Oahu in Hawai’i, including parts of Honolulu.
Officials say the first of a series of destructive tsunami waves is expected at 7:17pm local time.
The US Tsunami Warning Centre says the danger may continue for many hours after the initial wave, and that wave heights cannot be predicted.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says waves reaching one to three metres above tide level are possible along some coasts of Guam, Johnston Atoll, and the Northern Marianas.
Waves reaching 0.3 to one metre above the tide level are possible for some coasts of Chuuk, Kosrae, Marshall Islands, Palau, Pohnpei and Yap.
