Ammon News - Japan and the US have issued tsunami warnings after a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Russia on Wednesday.

Official evacuation orders have been issued to people on the Pacific coast of Japan and in Hawaii.

The first tsunami waves, at 30cm high, arrived in the northern coast of Japan's Hokkaido prefecture before 10.40 local time (02.40 BST), Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported. Waves at 40cm high have been observed in Tokachi, in Hokkaido.

US authorities have issued a tsunami warning for Hawaii, which warns it could face "destructive" 3-meter high waves. A tsunami watch has been issued for Alaska.

Waves 1-3 meters (3.3 to 10 feet) high could threaten the US island territory of Guam, according to the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, which is based in Honolulu. A tsunami is a series of powerful waves and can cause significant damage.

The earthquake magnitude was revised to 8.8 after an earlier measurement of 8.7.

The Japanese government has issued an evacuation order to people on the Pacific coast, saying: "Damage due to tsunami waves is expected. Evacuate immediately from coastal regions and riverside areas to a safer place such as high ground or an evacuation building.

The US tsunami warning system has also issued tsunami advisory for California, Oregon and Washington states.

According to the US National Weather Service the first waves are expected to arrive at California at around 11.50pm local time (7.50am BST). Multiple waves are expected, lasting for 10 to 36 hours, it added.

Residents in California have received official SMS alerts warning them to avoid going to the coast and beaches, while stressing that there is no evacuation.

Speaking to the BBC's Newsday programme, Helen Janiszewski, Assistant Professor, Geophysics and Tectonics Division at the University of Hawaii said that the earthquake ranked among the ten most severe in recorded history.

BBC