What’s happening: Major earthquake and regional tsunami risk in APAC

The earthquake, among the largest ever recorded, occurred at a depth of around 20 km, approximately 130 km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

The tremor generated tsunami waves that directly hit Severo-Kurilsk, flooding parts of the town with waves up to five metres high. All 2,000 residents were evacuated in time, and no fatalities have been reported, though infrastructure damage was confirmed by the local authorities.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued alerts for much of the Pacific Rim, including Japan, the United States, New Zealand, Chile, and across most of the Pacific Island nations. With port closures and coastal evacuations in place, Hawaii recorded waves of up to 1.8 metres. Parts of the US West Coast, including California, Oregon, and Alaska, have been placed on watch, with expected wave heights of up to one metre.

In Japan, evacuation orders were issued in Hokkaido, and Sendai Airport operations were briefly suspended. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was evacuated as a precaution but reported no damage. Waves of up to 60 cm were observed on Japan’s coast.

Tsunami warnings have extended as far as South America, with Ecuador and Chile anticipating waves of up to three metres in the coming hours. Authorities across the region have remained on high alert amid fears of aftershocks, some possibly reaching magnitude 7.5.

Anticipate aftershocks: Disruption to travel and essential services

Despite its size, the earthquake and resulting tsunamis have not caused fatalities so far due to timely alerts and rapid evacuation measures. However, the event underscores the vulnerability of Pacific coastal communities to natural disasters.

The regional security situation could deteriorate rapidly at short notice in the immediate term, particularly if large aftershocks are recorded. Associated travel disruption and temporary disruption to critical infrastructure operations are likely in affected coastal areas. The effects have varied greatly between different countries/territories, with the most significant damage and disruption likely in far-eastern Russia. It highlights the value of establishing early warning systems, robust communications, and emergency preparedness plans.

Advice to personnel in affected countries

• Abide by all official directives issued by local civil defence agencies, especially evacuation orders.
• Monitor civil defence channels for timely and relevant updates on tsunami risks in your area of operations.
• Anticipate travel and operational disruption across the Pacific Rim in the immediate term.
• Maintain communications with staff across the Pacific so they remain informed of the current risks, and conduct regular check-ins.
• Expect significant aftershocks in the coming 24-48 hours. In the event of aftershocks, adopt the ‘Drop, Cover, Hold’ posture to protect yourself, and be prepared to move to higher ground in the event of further tsunami warnings.

Clients with interests in the region should follow the latest alerts on the Healix Sentinel Risk Intelligence platform.