Around large parts of the Pacific Ocean, the inhabitants were alerted to the risk of high tsunami waves after the giant earthquake in Russia during the night to Wednesday Swedish time.
But the waves were on most occasions smaller than feared and many warnings were withdrawn – but not until flights had been cancelled, entire coastal strips had been evacuated and many ports had been closed.
Everything is calm, now I'm going back to work. Restaurants are opening again and so are tourist spots, says Isabel Grijalva in Santa Cruz on the Galapagos Islands to the news agency AFP.
There, Ecuador's authorities had warned of three-meter-high waves, but the waves only reached one meter above normal.
Reached New Zealand
In Chile, tsunami warnings were raised to the highest level after the authorities began registering high waves several hours after other countries had blown the danger over. From Arica near Chile's northern border with Peru to Los Lagos in the southern part of the country, there was a state of high alert before the restrictions were eased somewhat.
Deputy Interior Minister Victor Ramos thanks the population for how they helped to carry out "the largest mass evacuation in the country's history" and says, according to the newspaper El Mercurio that the entire project strengthens Chile's future preparedness.
At the same time, New Zealand announces that the effects of the large earthquake near the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia on Wednesday night Swedish time are beginning to be noticed there as well – nearly 10,000 kilometers from the epicenter.
Strong currents have been observed in the waters off the island nation and people are advised not to go out to sea or visit beaches. However, no evacuations have been initiated.
The authorities point out, however, that the first tsunami waves will not be the largest and that the public should take the warnings seriously.
Strongest since 2011
The giant earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 occurred during the night to Wednesday Swedish time near the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Waves of three to four meters were measured in Kamchatka, but the tsunami warning could later be lifted.
Tsunami warnings have been issued in several continents after the earthquake, which is believed to be the strongest in the world since 2011. The waves are reported, however, on many occasions to have been smaller than feared.
