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Traffic builds up along a highway in Honolulu PHOTO: Reuters
Evacuations are under way in Japan, Hawaii and some parts of the US West Coast as a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula has triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean.
Tsunami waves as high as 3-4 metres (10-13 feet) have been reported in Kamchatka while 30cm (12in) waves have hit a city in Hokkaido, northern Japan.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green has asked people to heed evacuation orders and stay calm while US President Donald Trump advised Americans to be on alert for tsunami warnings.
Several people have been injured in Kamchatka because of the earthquake and strong aftershocks are expected, TASS news agency reports.
Tsunami alerts of varying levels have also been issued in parts of China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Guam, Peru and the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador.
Tsunami advisories also issued for Philippines and Indonesia
The Philippines and Indonesia have also issued tsunami advisories, expecting smaller waves than other areas but urging residents to avoid shorelines.
The Philippine volcanology and seismology agency released a tsunami advisory on Wednesday, following the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off Kamchatka, Russia. It said tsunami waves of less than 1 meter are expected to arrive on Wednesday early afternoon (Manila time). Residents in more than 20 provinces have been cautioned against going near beaches and coastal areas.
The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami early warning for parts of eastern Indonesia. The warning covers coastal areas in North Sulawesi, North Maluku, West Papua, and Gorontalo. Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and avoid the shoreline. As of Wednesday morning, no evacuation orders had been issued. (Pieced together from BBC reports)