Tsunami Triggers State Of Emergency In Russia’s Kuril Islands After Massive Quake

Panic swept through Russia’s Far East on Wednesday as powerful tsunami waves slammed into the northern Kuril Islands, prompting a state of emergency and mass evacuation.

Alexander Ovsyannikov, mayor of Severo-Kurilsk, confirmed that the entire town was safely evacuated. “There was enough time, a whole hour. Everyone was evacuated. All the people are in the tsunami safety zone,” he said.

Dramatic videos circulating online show water rushing into a local port, debris floating along flooded streets, and emergency sirens blaring.

The tsunami was triggered by a major undersea earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, which also placed countries like Japan and the United States on high alert.

Russian authorities have ordered the closure of all coastal areas in the impact zone until further notice, as emergency services continue damage assessments.