One of the most powerful earthquakes recorded this year struck Russia's Far East in the early hours of July 30, triggering tsunami warnings across the northern Pacific, including for Japan, Alaska, Hawaii and as far south as New Zealand Japan Today reports.

The 8.8-magnitude quake occurred off the Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting evacuations in several Russian regions closest to the epicentre. According to local officials, the tremor caused damage in remote coastal settlements and forced residents to seek safety on higher ground.

Tsunami warning sirens rang out in Honolulu on Tuesday afternoon local time, with authorities urging people to move inland or to elevated areas. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) confirmed that a tsunami had been generated and warned that waves between one and three metres above the usual tide level were possible along coastlines in Hawaii, Chile, Japan and the Solomon Islands. For some areas of Russia and Ecuador, waves exceeding three metres were considered possible.

On Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported that a wave approximately 30 centimetres in height had reached the port of Nemuro.

Meanwhile, in the Kuril Islands, the main coastal settlement of Severo-Kurilsk was hit by an initial tsunami wave shortly after the earthquake. The regional governor, Valery Limarenko, said all residents had been accounted for and were sheltering on high ground. He added that precautionary measures would remain in place until the risk of further waves had passed.