‘Strongest in decades’ earthquake triggers tsunami in the Pacific: LIVE UPDATES

An earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula has triggered tsunamis in Russia and Japan, with hazardous waves possible in Hawaii, Alaska, and other parts of the Pacific

An 8.8-magnitude earthquake, followed by powerful aftershocks, struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, triggering tsunami alerts across several coastal regions in the northern Pacific.

The quake, which occurred around 11:30am local time approximately 136km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, was the strongest in the area since 1952, according to the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The first tsunami waves have already reached the shoreline of Severo-Kurilsk, a town in the northern Kuril Islands. The local authorities ordered the evacuation of the town to elevated areas away from the coast.

READ MORE: Powerful earthquake in Russia’s Far East sparks tsunami alerts (VIDEOS)

Waves measuring around 30 centimeters were also observed along the coastline of Hokkaido in northern Japan, according to NHK, with the authorities warning that subsequent waves could be higher.

The US National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami advisory for the entire US West Coast, as well as parts of Canada and Alaska. Tsunami advisories are also in effect for the entire state of Hawaii.