Tourist Attractions In Ecuador's Galapagos Closed After Tsunami Warning

JAKARTA - Tourist sites in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, were temporarily closed after a devastating earthquake in Russia's far east.

Ecuador's government says there is a high probability that a tsunami will occur along the country's coast.

The tsunami wave is expected to reach an altitude of 1.5 meters (4.92 feet), according to the Ecuadorian Naval Oceanography Institute (INOCAR) in an upload on X reported by CNN, Wednesday, July 30.

The beaches, protected areas involving maritime access, public areas, and remote locations near locations that may have been hit by a tsunami have also been temporarily closed, the Ecuadorian Navy said in a statement published by INOCAR.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education said learning classes would be held online along parts of Ecuador's coast due to tsunami risks.

An 8.8-scale Richter earthquake off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, triggered a tsunami wave as high as 5 meters nearby and triggered evacuation orders to Hawaii and the Pacific on Wednesday, July 30.

The shallow earthquake damaged buildings and injured several people in remote areas of Russia. The tsunami wave hit parts of Kamchatka, flooded parts of the port and fish processing plant in the city of Severo-Kurilsk, and swept ships from its mooring.

Verified drone footage shows the entire city's coastline submerged, with tall buildings and several storage facilities surrounded by water, which are seen flowing back into the sea.

"Today's earthquake is serious and the strongest in decades," said Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov.

Most recently, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were no fatalities after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake on the Richter and tsunami scales in Kamchatka, Russia. The number of injured people was not mentioned.

The tsunami warning system functions "in time" so that people are evacuated when needed.

"In general, the resilience of the building earthquake is proven, so thankfully there were no casualties," Peskov said as quoted by CNN, Wednesday, July 30.

The Russian government lifted a tsunami threat warning on the Kamchatka Peninsula, where the earthquake occurred, according to state media TASS.

Severo-Kurilsky District, which is located on the southern tip of the peninsula, has also lifted its tsunami warning, the government said in a post on Telegram.