Tsunami Hits After Powerful 8.8 Magnitude Earthquake

A tsunami has hit coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s large northern island of Hokkaido after a powerful, 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia early Wednesday. Warnings are also in place for Alaska, Hawaii and other coasts south toward New Zealand. The Japan Meteorological Agency says a tsunami as high as 40 centimeters has been detected in 16 locations as the waves moved south along the Pacific coast. Officials urged caution, saying bigger waves could come later. Damage and evacuations were reported in the Russian regions nearest the quake’s epicenter on the Kamchatka Peninsula.