Meteorological authorities in Japan issued no tsunami alerts while U.S. authorities canceled a warning for Hawaii after the earthquake hit near the Kurils, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk.
“A tsunami wave arrived in Severo-Kurilsk at 1515 Sakhalin [region] time (0415 GMT),” Russia’s emergency services said. “The wave height was about 50 cm (20 inches).”
Residents will remain in a safe zone on higher ground, the emergency services said, while the tsunami threat remains, adding a decision to cancel the alarm will be made by specialists after the low tide starts.
The U.S Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the country’s West Coast, Alaska and Canada’s British Columbia didn’t face any tsunami danger from the quake.
Some of the U.S. coastal areas may experience non-damaging sea level changes, the agency added.
The Japan Meteorological Association also said there might be slight tidal changes but said no warnings or even watch advisories had been issued.
