By Euronews Travel with AP
Published on
A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Russia on Wednesday morning has triggered tsunami warnings across Japan and the US states of Alaska and Hawaii.
It is one of the strongest earthquakes recorded in modern history.
Japan has ordered nearly 2 million people to evacuate, warning that tsunami waves could continue for more than a day.
Tsunami alerts of varying levels have also been issued across many Pacific islands, parts of China, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Zealand, Peru, Mexico and the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador.
The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for 15 countries. Travellers are being warned to follow the advice of local authorities and watch for updates if they are in a place where an alert has been issued.
Tsunami alert complicates travel in Japan
Ferries connecting Hokkaido and Aomori on the northern tip of Japan’s Honshu island were suspended, as well as those connecting Tokyo and nearby islands.
Some local train operations have been suspended or delayed as well, according to operators.
Sendai airport says its runway has been temporarily closed with two domestic flights, one from Fukuoka and another from Osaka, diverted to other airports
Flights diverted away from Hawaii
Several flights have already been diverted away from Hawaii following tsunami warnings, according to FlightRadar24. That includes some that had already departed from Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Francisco, and San Diego.
Honolulu Airport is not closed but is advising travellers to check directly with their airline for the most up-to-date flight status and travel advisories.
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have suspended services to, from or within the Hawaiian islands. As a safety precaution, Alaska Airlines said that flights en route to Hawaii are returning to the mainland or diverting as needed.
“Guests with travel to, from or within the Hawaiian Islands should check the status of their flight before heading to the airport. We are monitoring airport conditions with government agencies and could see operational impacts,” the airline said in a statement.
It added that a waiver is in place to allow passengers to adjust their travel plans.
Cruise ships in Hawaii forced to depart ahead of schedule
The US Coast Guard has ordered all commercial vessels to evacuate Hawaiian ports with all harbours closed to incoming traffic.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America ship has been forced to depart from Hilo harbour in Hawai’i around two and a half hours ahead of schedule.
A ship in deeper waters will barely notice a tsunami travelling below it, and so it is standard procedure for vessels to head away from the port when a tsunami is likely to hit.
But many passengers and crew were not able to get back to the Pride of America before it left the port.
