An earthquake of magnitude 8.7 off Russia’s eastern Kamchatka peninsula on Wednesday triggered a tsunami warning in several areas of the Pacific Ocean.

The tsunami alerts and advisories were issued for parts of Japan, Russia, the United States, Mexico, Ecuador and Peru, AFP reported. A warning was also issued for some Pacific islands and eastern China.

A tsunami hit and flooded the Russian port town of Severo-Kurilsk, where the population had been evacuated, AFP quoted the country’s emergencies ministry as saying.

It was not immediately clear if the earthquake and the tsunami had led to casualties.

Russia’s Sakhalin region declared a state of emergency in the Severo-Kurilsk district and the northern Kuril islands, BBC reported.

In Japan, tsunami waves reached parts of the country’s eastern coast, including Hokkaido and Honshu regions, and areas near the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, CNN reported.

The initial waves measured around 60 cm, below the forecast height of 3 metres. Japan’s Meteorological Agency has warned that tsunami activity could last more than a day.

The authorities issued evacuation orders for 1.9 million persons in 21 prefectures, spanning the entire Pacific coastline from Hokkaido island in the north to Wakayama state in the south.

The tsunami waves also reached Hawaii, with a four-feet wave recorded at Haleiwa town on the Oahu island, BBC reported. The US’ Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that the waves were arriving in 12-minute intervals.

“So far we have not seen a wave of consequence,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green was quoted as saying by the BBC.

He added that the wave activity had not yet moved past the islands of Hawaii and it may take two to three more hours before the state can give an “all clear”.

Authorities have warned that waves as high as 10 feet are possible along some northern coasts of the Hawaiian Islands.

The epicentre of the earthquake was 126 km east-southeast of Russia’s Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city, according to the United States Geological Survey.

It took place at a depth of 18.2 km. Shallow earthquakes tend to be more destructive.

This was the strongest earthquake in the region since 1952, AFP quoted Kamchatka’s geophysical service as saying. “Given the scale of the event, strong aftershocks with a magnitude of up to 7.5 should be expected,” the service added.

Several aftershocks each measuring more than six in magnitude were recorded.

Tsunami alert

In the US, the tsunami warning area covered the Hawaii islands, Alaska, California and other states on the country’s western coast.

Mexico also mobilised authorities to keep people away from the country’s beaches on the Pacific coast amid the tsunami warning, AFP reported.

The Indian consulate general in San Francisco urged Indians in Hawaii, California and areas on the US’ western coast to monitor alerts from authorities, local emergency services and the US Tsunami Warning Centers.

The Indian diplomatic mission urged citizens to avoid coastal areas and move to higher ground if a tsunami alert is issued. “Prepare for emergency and keep [electronic] devices charged,” it added.

This is a developing story. It will be updated as new details are available.