July 30, 2025

expert reaction to earthquake off Russia and tsunami warnings across the Pacific

Irish scientists comment on an 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia and tsunami warnings issues across the Pacific. 

Dr. Martin Möllhoff, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Geophysics Section, said:

“We know a large earthquake occurred off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Eastern Russia on the 29th of July 2025, at 23:24:50 (UTC) (11:24:50 on 30 July local time). The measured magnitude of M8.8 makes it one one the largest earthquakes ever recorded. According to news reports no casualties have been reported so far.”

“The epicentre was offshore and a tsunami travelling through the Pacific was triggered. Maximum tsunami amplitudes of 4m were observed in Kamchatka and around 1.5m in Japan and Hawaii. At time of writing the tsunami is still travelling towards Mexico, Ecuador, New Zealand with wave height in these regions still unknown. For more details please see https://www.insn.ie/2025-07-29-m8-8-kamchatka/”

“For earthquakes, the key factors include:

    Magnitude: The size or strength of the earthquake.

    Depth: The depth at which the earthquake occurs.

    Population Density: The number of people living in the nearby areas.

    Infrastructure Resilience: The ability of buildings and other structures to withstand seismic activity.”

“For tsunamis, the primary factors are:

    Seafloor Rupture: Whether the earthquake caused a rupture in the seafloor.

    Water Displacement: The extent to which the earthquake displaced water.

    International Coordination: The effectiveness of international information sharing regarding tsunami warnings and observed wave heights.

    Population Density: The number of people in the affected areas.

    Infrastructure Preparedness: The readiness of infrastructure to handle the impact of a tsunami.”

Declared interests

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