A tsunami has hit coastal areas of Russia and Japan following an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's far east. Warnings have also been issued for other parts of Japan's east coast - and the entire US west coast - after the quake, the most powerful anywhere since 2011. Tsunamis have today already struck parts of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s large northern island of Hokkaido.
A nursery has been damaged, though no significant injuries were reported. Tsunami flooding has damaged the port at Severo-Kurilsk on Russia’s Kuril Islands.
People on the island state of Hawaii have been evacuated from homes in coastal areas amid fears of tsunamis there. There is concern in the US for several other areas, including San Francisco. People who work on the coast or in the sea should refrain from doing so today - and tourists must avoid the coast at all costs until authorities give further notice.
China’s Ministry of Natural Resources’ Tsunami Warning Center has issued an alert for parts of the country’s east coast along Shanghai and Zhejiang provinces.
The warning forecasts that waves could reach between 0.3 to 1 meter (1 to 3 feet).
Shanghai and Zhejiang are already under alert as Typhoon CoMay is expected to land in the Zhejiang province Wednesday.
Delta Airlines plane for Hawaii returns to Los Angeles
A Delta Airlines plane heading for Hawaii has returned to its original base - Los Angeles - due to the tsunami warning.
The aircraft was destined for Kona Hawaii but, after two hours, the pilot had to head back to the Californian coast.
Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Centre in Alaska, said he had not heard of any specific reports of damage from the tsunami generated by the 8.8-magnitue earthquake.
Staff of nuclear plants evacuated
Japan's Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said workers at the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini nuclear plants had been evacuated to higher ground.
The Fukushima Daiichi plant was the site of a major nuclear accident following a devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011.
TEPCO said the plant was undamaged and was monitoring tsunami warnings.
Earlier this week, TEPCO announced that full removal of the fuel debris could take 12 to 15 years to allow enough time for radiation levels to reduce.
Prakash Kumar Pandey