This picture taken on March 11, 2011 by Sadatsugu Tomizawa and released via Jiji Press on March 21, 2011 shows tsunami waves hitting the coast of Minamisoma in Fukushima prefecture. The number of people confirmed dead or listed as missing in Japan neared 22,000, 10 days after a massive earthquake and tsunami struck the country’s northeast coast. AFP PHOTO / JIJI PRESS (Photo by JIJI PRESS / AFP) / Japan OUT / JAPAN OUT
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu urged Filipinos in Hawaii to stay alert and follow official announcements after the State of Hawaii issued a tsunami warning following a strong earthquake off the coast of Russia.
In an advisory, the consulate warned that powerful waves and strong currents may affect coastal areas. Filipinos were advised to “get away from coastal waters” and “move to high ground or inland.”
READ: Megaquake off Russian coast sparks tsunami warnings across Pacific
“The Filipino American community is advised to follow evacuation orders if you are in a tsunami evacuation zone. Stay tuned to Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, National Weather Service, and local authorities for the latest updates. The Consulate stands ready to assist Filipinos who may be affected,” the advisory states.
READ: Earthquake near coast leaves several injured in Russia’s far east
A magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off Russia’s far east coast on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The quake’s epicenter was located 136 kilometers (85 miles) east of Petropavlovsk in the Kamchatka Peninsula, at a depth of 19 kilometers (12 miles).
In response, state seismologists in the Philippines warned residents along coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean of possible tsunami waves less than one meter high, expected to arrive between 1:20 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. on July 30./mcm
