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Strong Russia quake prompts 9-hour tsunami watch in PH
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Strong Russia quake prompts 9-hour tsunami watch in PH

The magnitude 8.7 earthquake that struck in the North Pacific off the coast of Kamchatka, Russia, on Wednesday morning at 7:25 a.m. (Philippine time) prompted tsunami advisories in provinces on the country’s eastern seaboard.

The advisories were eventually canceled by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) at 4:40 p.m., or almost nine hours later, after it monitored “no significant sea level disturbances or destructive tsunami waves.”

From Batanes to Davao

Before the cancellation, the agency earlier issued an advisory for communities along coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean for possible tsunami waves not higher than one meter and which may arrive between 1:20 p.m. and 2:40 p.m.

The Phivolcs alert covered the Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur and Davao de Oro.

Class suspensions

Residents were told to move further inland and away from beaches, harbor and estuaries while the advisories were in effect.

Boat owners were also told to secure their vessels. Those already at sea during the alert period were asked to stay offshore in deep waters until further advised.

In Rapu-Rapu, an island municipality in Albay, classes were suspended and coastal residents were advised to evacuate to higher ground, or to school buildings, churches and multistory homes designated as evacuation sites.

In northern Quezon, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) suspended sea travel for small vessels.

Afternoon classes were suspended in Infanta, Quezon, and also in the Polillo group of islands.

In Cagayan province, about 50 patients from coastal hospitals, including Ballesteros District Hospital and Aparri Provincial Hospital, were among those evacuated.

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The PCG reported minor wave activity in several coastal towns including Aparri and Santa Ana, though no casualties or major incidents occurred.

Outside PH

In Russia, a tsunami hit coastal areas of the Kuril Islands, and also Japan’s large northern island of Hokkaido after the powerful magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia early Wednesday.

Tsunami warning sirens also blared in Honolulu, Hawaii, as residents were urged to seek higher ground.

The first tsunami wave hit the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk, the main settlement on Russia’s Kuril Islands in the Pacific, according to the local governor Valery Limarenko. He said residents were safe and staying on high ground until the threat of a repeat wave was gone.

Hawaii and parts of Japan later downgraded their tsunami warnings around past 5 p.m. (Philippine time). —REPORTS FROM DIANNE SAMPANG, CHARIE ABARCA, MA. APRIL MIER-MANJARES, MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN, DELFIN T. MALLARI JR., JOANNA ROSE AGLIBOT, VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. AND AP

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