• Tsunami warnings lifted across the Pacific after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake.
• Evacuations affected millions in countries including Japan, Chile, and Ecuador.
• The earthquake was one of the strongest recorded, prompting widespread disruptions.

After a powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, tsunami warnings were lifted across the Pacific, allowing millions of evacuees to return home. The quake triggered alerts in over a dozen nations, including Japan, the United States, and Ecuador, with initial predictions of storm surges reaching up to four meters in various regions. The situation, however, stabilized quickly, leading to the rescinding of warnings as authorities deemed it safe for residents to return, according to trtglobal, channelnewsasia, and thejakartapost.

In Japan, where nearly two million people were ordered to evacuate, warnings were downgraded after initial fears of a catastrophic tsunami. Local media reported the only fatality in Japan was a woman who tragically drove her car off a cliff while trying to escape. Similarly, in Chile, the Interior Ministry orchestrated "perhaps the most massive evacuation ever carried out in our country," sending 1.4 million people to higher ground, yet recorded no casualties or significant wave activity, with heights of only 60 centimeters observed along the coast, according to trtglobal, channelnewsasia, and thejakartapost.

The Galapagos Islands, where initial warnings suggested possible surges of up to three meters, reported only minor disturbances, with residents noting a rise in sea level that later receded without causing damage. "Everything is calm, I'm going back to work," said Isabel Grijalva, a Santa Cruz resident, as local activities resumed following the alerts. Earlier, precautionary measures led to closures of schools and national parks, as well as evacuations of tourists from boats, according to trtglobal, channelnewsasia, and thejakartapost.

The most severe damage was reported in Russia, particularly in the port of Severo-Kurilsk, where a tsunami caused flooding in a local fishing plant. Russian media showed footage depicting buildings and equipment swept into the sea, with the surge reportedly reaching 400 meters inland. The earthquake's aftermath included numerous aftershocks; Russian scientists even reported an eruption at the Klyuchevskoy volcano shortly thereafter, with visible lava flows and explosions occurring, according to trtglobal, channelnewsasia, and thejakartapost.

This earthquake is noted as one of the strongest recorded worldwide since 1900, and officials have warned of the potential for aftershocks, with a notable chance of tremors exceeding magnitude 7.0 in the upcoming days. Despite the initial panic, the quick response and preparedness across affected regions led to minimal casualties and damage, with global attention focused on recovery and safety protocols following the incident, according to trtglobal, channelnewsasia, and thejakartapost.