Mexico Anticipates High Waves, Colombia Issues Tsunami Alert Red Warning

Choco, Colombia/ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Dimitry B

JAKARTA - Mexican President Clauda Sheinbaum said a tsunami warning in Mexico after an earthquake in Russia was issued as a precaution.

"Actually, a warning has been issued, but it poses no major risk, no damage in Mexico," Claudia said at a press conference on Wednesday, July 30 morning local time as reported by CNN.

"The Secretary of the Navy reported today to Cabinet that the biggest risk may occur at this hour. Sea levels may rise slightly in some Pacific region, but in reality, warnings have been issued, but do not pose a major risk", continued the President of Mexico.

Colombia does the same. Authorities issued a red warning in the Chocmen region in its northeast, while its Pacific coast is preparing to face a potential tsunami wave due to an 8.8-scale Richter earthquake off Russia's east coast.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro distributed a letter on X from the Chocmen local government, ordering immediate evacuation from the receding coast and land.

An 8.8-scale Richter earthquake off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, 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 scale 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.