U.S. military bases were placed on alert Tuesday night and Wednesday morning after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia triggered major tsunami warnings in Japan, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Alaska, Hawaii, and the West Coast of the United States.
According to Stars and Stripes, the tsunami warnings were issued after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula at 8:24 a.m. (local time). NBC News reported that the 8.8 magnitude earthquake is the strongest earthquake since 2011 and is one of the top 10 earthquakes recorded across the globe.
Russian state media reported that the massive earthquake resulted in tsunami waves that were over 13 feet high off the coast of Russia. According to Stars and Stripes, Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued a warning that tsunami waves could reach between three feet and 10 feet along Japan’s coast.
In a Truth Social post on Tuesday night, Trump wrote, “Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii. A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit tsunami.gov/ for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”
READ MORE: Tsunami warning issued in Alaska after 7.3 magnitude earthquake
Stars and Stripes reported that people were evacuated in the Japanese city of Yokosuka, which houses the U.S. 7th Fleet at U.S. Navy Base-Fleet Activities Yokosuka. The outlet noted that while most of the Navy’s ships remained docked following the massive earthquake, at least six ships at a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force base were relocated due to the threat of tsunamis.
In a Wednesday press release, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that “Heavy Weather Condition Zulu,” which is the highest weather alert level, had been declared for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and that U.S. Coast Guard cutters and small vessels were “underway to ride out the event offshore.”
In a statement obtained by Stars and Stripes, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Sara Muir said, “We anticipate resuming Port Heavy Weather Condition Whiskey (our standard posture) and reopening the ports later this evening once the National Weather Service confirms any waves have subsided and we know we don’t have any major impact or obstructions that could present a hazard.”
Stars and Stripes reported that other U.S. bases that were placed under alert or were given guidance due to the threat of possible tsunamis included Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Naval Base San Diego, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and Naval Base Kitsap.
A video and picture shared on X, formerly Twitter, show some of the tsunami waves observed in Japan following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia.
