Powerful tsunami waves caused widespread panic and forced officials to declare a state of emergency in Russia’s Far East on Wednesday morning.
The northern Kuril Islands were hit hard, with the town of Severo-Kurilsk bearing the brunt of the impact.
Mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov confirmed that the entire population of Severo-Kurilsk was successfully evacuated just before the tsunami struck, likely averting a major catastrophe.
“There was enough time, a whole hour,” he told reporters. “Everyone was evacuated. All the people are in the tsunami safety zone.”
Dramatic footage has surfaced showing water surging through a local port, with debris floating through the streets and alarms wailing in the background.
The emergency was triggered by a massive undersea earthquake in the Pacific, which has put several countries, including Japan and the United States on high alert.
Russian authorities say all coastal areas in the affected zone will remain closed off until further notice, as emergency teams assess the damage.
Power Grid Knocked Out in Sakhalin
The aftermath of the tsunami is already biting hard in Russia’s Far East.
Hours after waves crashed into the northern Kuril Islands, Russian media is now reporting that the power grid in the Sakhalin region has been damaged, plunging parts of the area into darkness.
State-owned RIA news agency quoted the regional governor as saying electricity had been shut off following the impact of the undersea earthquake that triggered the tsunami.
This comes just after officials declared a state of emergency in the area, with video footage showing waves sweeping through coastal towns, tearing through streets and docks.
Emergency teams have confirmed that residents were evacuated in time, but the extent of infrastructure damage is now becoming clearer.
Authorities say the coastline will remain restricted until power is restored and safety assessments are complete.
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