At least 60 people have died following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck central Philippines
Russia’s Kamchatka earthquake triggers tsunami alerts across Pacific
Tsunami warnings follow 8.8 magnitude quake in Russia
A major 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 30 July, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuations across the Pacific.
According to Reuters, the quake hit near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and was the strongest to affect the region since 1952.
The earthquake caused injuries and building damage in Russia, with tsunami waves reaching as far as French Polynesia, Hawaii and Japan.
Tsunami warnings were issued across multiple countries, including the Galapagos Islands, before being downgraded in some regions.
The quake was followed by an eruption of the Klyuchevskoy volcano, which began spewing lava and gas later in the day.
Evacuations and advisories in Japan, Hawaii and South America
Reuters reported that tsunami warnings were triggered across the Pacific Ocean, with waves hitting several countries and territories.
Japan issued evacuation orders for parts of its Pacific coastline, including the Fukushima nuclear plant, although no damage was reported.
In Hawaii, waves up to 1.7 metres were recorded, and flights from Honolulu were briefly disrupted before services resumed in the evening.
Authorities in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands ordered precautionary evacuations, moving people to safer areas inland.
Wave activity also reached coastal regions of California and British Columbia, but tsunami advisories for these locations were later withdrawn.
Russian regions affected by quake and volcanic activity
The earthquake’s epicentre was located around 119 km east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Russia’s RIA news agency reported tsunami waves up to 5 metres in Severo-Kurilsk, causing partial flooding and damage to port facilities.
The country’s emergency ministry said waves swept vessels from moorings and inundated parts of a fish processing plant.
The Russian Academy of Sciences said the Klyuchevskoy volcano, located around 450 km from the quake’s epicentre, began erupting shortly after the quake.
Its United Geophysical Service reported: “A descent of burning hot lava is observed on the western slope.
“Powerful glow above the volcano, explosions.”
Pacific islands experience varying wave impacts
In French Polynesia, authorities warned residents of the Marquesas Islands to evacuate to higher ground.
Reuters reported that wave heights of up to 2.5 metres were expected, although actual waves were later said to be smaller than first predicted.
Local authorities on Nuku Hiva recorded the arrival of initial waves, with several more expected.
Wave heights in other parts of French Polynesia were forecast to remain under 30 cm, not requiring further evacuation.
Officials noted the varying risk due to differences in island topography, with the Marquesas having high elevations, unlike the low-lying atolls elsewhere in the region.
Scientific explanation and emergency response
Scientists said the quake occurred along a megathrust fault where the Pacific Plate slides beneath the North American Plate.
According to geological researchers cited by Reuters, this region is prone to major seismic events due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The German Research Center for Geosciences reported a subsequent 6.07 magnitude quake in the nearby Kuril Islands.
Video from Kamchatka’s regional health ministry showed medics continuing surgery during the quake, holding equipment and the patient steady in a shaking operating theatre.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “There had been no casualties in Russia,” and credited this to resilient infrastructure and effective alert systems.
Russia’s Kamchatka earthquake triggers tsunami alerts across Pacific: Summary
A magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Kamchatka, Russia, on 30 July 2025.
The quake was centred near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and was the strongest recorded in the region since 1952.
Reuters reported injuries and structural damage in the affected Russian areas.
Tsunami warnings were issued in Japan, Hawaii, French Polynesia, and the Galapagos Islands.
Severo-Kurilsk experienced tsunami waves of up to 5 metres, according to Russia’s RIA news agency.
Klyuchevskoy volcano erupted hours after the quake, releasing lava and ash.
Hawaii recorded waves up to 1.7 metres, and Japan reported a maximum of 1.3 metres.
French Polynesia’s Marquesas Islands saw smaller waves than forecast but evacuations were still issued.
Waves also reached California and British Columbia but advisories were later lifted.
Scientists linked the quake to tectonic movement on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Turkey rescue efforts scale back whilst experts predict cost of destruction
The rescue efforts following the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, which has become the most devastating earthquake in a decade, are beginning to scale back as officials take stock of the aftermath and the cost of the damage.
Survivors found
An 18-year-old man was pulled from the rubble of a building in southern Turkey, the third rescue on Tuesday (14 February), 198 hours after the earthquake as aid workers shifted focus to those across Turkey and Syria left homeless.
Rescuers also pulled two brothers alive from the ruins of an apartment block in Turkey’s Kahramanmaras province, who Anadolu news agency named as 17-year-old Muhammed Enes Yeninar and his brother, 21-year-old Baki Yeninar. They were taken to hospital although their condition was unclear.
Rescuers continued to work through the night to rescue people clinging to life. Some teams have started scaling back operations as low temperatures reduce the slim chances of survival. Some Polish rescuers, among many multinational teams that flew in, announced they would leave on Wednesday.
The cost of rebuilding
A report published at the weekend by the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation put the cost of the damage at $84.1 billion – $70.8 billion from the repair of thousands of homes, plus $10.4 billion from loss of national income and $2.9 billion from loss of working days.
The main costs were said to be rebuilding housing, transmission lines and infrastructure, and meeting the short, medium and long-term shelter needs of the hundreds of thousands left homeless.
13.4 million people live in the 10 provinces by hit by the quake, making up 15% of Turkey’s population, and producing around 10% of gross domestic product.
Economists and officials estimated the quake would cut economic growth by up two percentage points this year.
A three-month state of emergency has been declared in the 10 provinces affected and the central bank has postponed payments on some loans. The Treasury declared force majeure until the end of July and postponed tax payments for the region.
Tokyo major earthquake death-toll prediction number revised down
The Metropolitan government has released a report which as revised down the estimated number of people who would die in the event of a major earthquake in Tokyo by 30% to 6,100.
The report by a panel of earthquake experts attributed the reduction of around 3,500 people as a result of advances in the quake-resistance of buildings and the greater use of non-combustible materials in their construction.
The pane concluded that the largest death toll of up to 6,148 would result if a quake with a magnitude of 7.3 originated in the southern part of central Tokyo, after it simulated significant earthquakes with different epicenters for the latest damage projection.
Of the estimated deaths, 3,209 would be caused by collapsed buildings and 2,482 by fires, the report said.
“Although the number of deaths has been reduced, losses of as many as 6,000 people must not be allowed to happen,” Naoshi Hirata, commented Head of the panel and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. “It is necessary to steadily advance measures.”