A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's coast prompted tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, causing mass evacuations from Hawaiʻi to Ecuador's Galápagos Islands, reported the Guardian.

What happened?

The powerful underwater quake struck near Russia's Kamchatka peninsula, with waves up to four meters high affecting the coastal town of Severo-Kurilsk. Water surged through the port area, flooding a fishing plant and carrying structures into the sea in this small community of approximately 2,000 residents.

Hawaiian residents faced a tense night as tsunami warning sirens sounded twice across Oʻahu and Kauaʻi islands. "A tsunami is not just one wave. It's a series of powerful waves over a long period of time," explained Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska.

Emergency officials warned of "destructive tsunami waves" and told people to leave coastal areas, causing traffic jams in Honolulu as people hurried to higher ground. The tsunami advisory said to "stay out of the water and away from beaches and waterways."

Chile is transferring inmates from five prisons in low-lying areas as the country maintains its tsunami alert. The prisoners are being moved to other facilities following Chile's emergency protocols.

The earthquake's force moved across the entire Pacific. Ecuador has instructed people to evacuate the Galápagos Islands, where waves of approximately 3 feet have been observed at Baltra and San Cristobal islands. Chile's Easter Island, situated roughly 2,300 miles from South America's coast, had residents and tourists move to a church on higher ground.

Why are tsunamis concerning?

Weather events like tsunamis have always occurred, but it's important to understand the difference between isolated weather events and climate patterns. While seismic activity rather than climate factors caused this tsunami, research shows the effects of increasing global temperatures can exacerbate tsunami effects in coastal areas. Sea level rise amplifies tsunami impacts, with studies showing that even 0.5-meter rises can double tsunami flooding frequency.

"It is correct to be worried about this one," said Robert Weiss, a tsunami expert at Virginia Tech.

Nathan Bangs, research professor at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, noted the earthquake occurred in a "subduction zone setting that has the potential to generate large tsunamis" similar to "other settings that have generated large tsunamis in recent years that followed earthquakes, such as Sumatra in 2004 and Tohoku in 2011."

How can I protect myself from tsunamis?

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If you live in coastal areas, know your evacuation routes before an emergency happens and create a family emergency plan that includes meeting spots at higher ground.

It's also good to keep emergency supplies ready: water, non-perishable food, medications, and essential documents in waterproof containers. Don't delay evacuation. When warnings come, immediately relocate at least 100 feet above sea level or one mile inland, even if you can't see the tsunami.

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