US President, Donald Trump has issued an urgent message via his X and Truth handle to Americans living in Hawaii, Alaska, and along the Pacific Coast.
He urged them to “STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE” as tsunami waves threaten the region following a massive undersea earthquake near Russia.
In a post on Truth Social, 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.
The warning came after tsunami sirens began sounding along Hawaiian shorelines.
The earthquake — initially recorded as magnitude 8.0 but later upgraded to 8.8 by the US Geological Survey — struck Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula.
It occurred around 8:25 am. local time, centered 74 miles from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a depth of just 13 miles.
Because of the shallow depth, the quake had the potential to generate powerful ocean waves.
Authorities said waves were expected to reach Hawaii by 7:15 p.m. local time and could affect Alaska, Washington State, Oregon, and California in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that waves between 3 to 10 feet could hit Hawaii’s shores.
“Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,” the center warned, urging people near beaches and harbors to evacuate immediately.
In Hawaii, phones buzzed with emergency alerts as residents were told to move to higher ground.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency echoed the warning, saying large waves were likely to strike by nightfall.
Meanwhile, Alaska’s Aleutian Islands were placed under a full tsunami warning.
Other parts of the West Coast remained under a tsunami watch as officials monitored ocean levels and prepared emergency responses.
The National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, warned that strong surges could arrive with little to no warning.
Tuesday’s quake has drawn comparisons to the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan.
Experts also likened it to a 1952 event, when a magnitude 9.0 quake in Kamchatka sent 30-foot waves crashing into Hawaii, causing widespread damage.
Both earthquakes occurred along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a major seismic zone circling the Pacific Ocean.
Earlier this month, the same region was hit by several strong quakes, including one measuring 7.4.
Seismologists warned that pressure was building along the fault line, increasing the risk of a major event.
As waves began reaching coastal areas Tuesday evening, evacuation orders were issued across Hawaii and Alaska.
Authorities across the Pacific Coast remained on high alert.
Trump’s dramatic warning comes as millions brace for what could be one of the most serious tsunami threats in over a decade.
(Daily Mail)
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