According to reporter Mar-Vic Cagurangan in Guam, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has officially issued a "tsunami watch" for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The potential threat of a tsunami affecting Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan is currently under evaluation. In a recent statement, the Center advised residents to “stay alert” for further updates, noting that the tsunami watch could either be canceled or escalated to an advisory or warning level.
If a tsunami threat materializes, the earliest estimated arrival time of tsunami waves in Guam, Rota, Tinian, or Saipan is projected to be at 2:37 p.m. local time. Officials are urging people to remain vigilant and attentive to updates from the warning center.
In related news, TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company), the operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant that experienced a catastrophic triple meltdown following the 2011 tsunami, has announced a temporary suspension of the discharge of treated water contaminated by the disaster. This decision will remain in effect until the tsunami warnings are lifted. Additionally, personnel involved in ongoing decommissioning efforts at the plant have been temporarily evacuated to ensure their safety.
Japan has taken precautionary measures by ordering immediate evacuations in certain regions as tsunami waves are reportedly approaching the coastlines. According to NHK, tsunami warnings are currently in effect for a significant stretch of Japan’s eastern Pacific coast, extending from Hokkaido’s eastern shores down to Wakayama Prefecture.
Authorities in Japan have issued urgent warnings advising residents to stay away from the shore and refrain from entering the sea along most of the Pacific coastline. Tsunami waves of up to 1 meter are anticipated to hit Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, at approximately 10 am local time, with subsequent waves expected further south between 10:30 am and 11:30 am.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was informed of the earthquake at 08:37 am, leading to the establishment of a government emergency committee soon after to gather information and coordinate necessary responses. In the wake of the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Japan has significantly enhanced its disaster detection, warning, and response infrastructure.
In Kamchatka, Russia, a kindergarten has reportedly sustained damage due to the earthquake, as stated by regional governor Vladimir Solodov. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries as of yet. Governor Solodov urged residents to vacate the coastline, describing the earthquake as the “strongest in decades” to affect the area.
A tsunami alert has been issued for Pacific islands, Russia, and Japan following a magnitude 8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Kamchatka on Wednesday, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake was shallow and powerful enough to pose a potential risk of waves or a tsunami. The tsunami threat extends to the Northern Mariana Islands, including Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan.
