Russia declares tsunami warnings in far eastern regions

PARTS of Sakhalin island’s western coast and the mainland Primorsk and Khabarovsk regions, which are situated close to Japan on Russia’s Pacific seaboard, are under threat of tsunami, state news agency Tass reported on Monday (Jan 1), citing officials.

A massive earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck central Japan on Monday, triggering a tsunami warning and advisories for residents to evacuate.

Russian media cited authorities in the Primorsk region port city of Vladivostok as saying that anyone sailing in local waters should “urgently return to the shore”.

Tass cited authorities in Sakhalin and Khabarovsk regions as saying that the wave would not be life-threatening.

It also quoted Russia’s emergencies ministries as denying earlier reports that an evacuation of the population of at-risk areas on Sakhalin was underway. REUTERS