The 2025 Kamchatka earthquake & tsunami

In the early hours of July 30, 2025 an 8.8 magnitude earthquake occurred off the eastern coast of Russia near the Kamchatka Peninsula. It is the sixth largest recorded earthquake since 1900 to date. 

Simultaneously, dozens of countries across the Pacific issued tsunami warnings and advisories, underscoring the significance of having good early warning systems in place.

The effective, coordinated early warning provided by the Pacific Tsunami Warning System (PTWS) saved countless lives. 

Coordinated by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC), the PTWS is a network of 46 member States across the Pacific, supported by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu. As the longest serving intergovernmental disaster risk reduction platform, it was established in 1965, following the devastating 9.5 earthquake and tsunami in Chile which caused fatalities as far as Japan.

Sources:

• ESCAP: https://www.unescap.org/blog/2025-kamchatka-tsunami-and-power-preparedness