Earthquake off Russia: Pacific countries on alert

An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday, July 29. It triggered tsunamis in Russia and Japan and triggered alerts in nearly every Pacific Rim country.

In the port of Severo-Kurilsk, in the north of Russia's Kuril Islands, several successive tsunamis submerged the streets, and some of the 2,000 residents were evacuated, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. A state of emergency has been declared in the district.

In Japan, the National Meteorological Agency predicted waves of 3 meters. Public broadcaster NHK aired special coverage, with a news anchor urging residents to flee the coast.

On the other side of the Pacific, Peru, Mexico, and Ecuador have declared tsunami warnings for their coastlines. Tsunamis generating waves of 1 to 3 meters are also possible in Chile, Costa Rica, French Polynesia, and other archipelagos.