A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Far East region of Russia on Wednesday, generating tsunami waves that reached the coasts of Japan, Hawaii and Alaska. Authorities in several Pacific countries issued warnings for people to be on watch or evacuate to higher ground.
The quake, considered one of the strongest in history, also triggered tsunami warnings in Latin America, as well as in Pacific islands as far south as New Zealand.
Experts warn that the danger could last for more than 24 hours.
The strongest earthquakes ever recorded
The earthquake in Russia's Far East ranks among the top ten most powerful earthquakes in modern history. With a magnitude of 8.8, it is tied as the sixth strongest ever recorded and the biggest since the earthquake that hit Japan in 2011.
Here is a look at where it sits amid the strongest on record, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
10. Sumatra, Indonesia (2012)
A magnitude 8.6 earthquake occurred off the west coast of northern Sumatra. Although it caused little damage, it increased pressure on the fault line that triggered the devastating 2004 tsunami.
9. Tibet (1950)
At least 780 people were killed when an 8.6 magnitude earthquake struck the region. Dozens of villages were destroyed, one of them swept away by a river. Landslides blocked the Subansiri River, and when the water was released, it generated a deadly seven-metre wave.
8. Rat Islands, Alaska (1965)
A magnitude 8.7 earthquake in this area triggered a tsunami with waves of up to 11 metres. There was minor damage, including cracks in buildings and runways.
7. Esmeraldas, Ecuador (1906)
An 8.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused around 1,500 deaths. Its effects were felt along the Central American coast and as far away as San Francisco and Japan.
6. Biobío, Chile (2010)
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 8.8 shook central Chile, including the capital Santiago.
It lasted a minute and a half, generated a tsunami and left more than 500 dead.
5. Kamchatka, Russia (1952)
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck the Russian peninsula of Kamchatka, which was also affected this time. Although no fatalities were reported, it triggered a tsunami that reached as far as Hawaii with waves up to nine metres high.
4. Tohoku, Japan (2011)
A magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan, triggering a tsunami that directly impacted the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The disaster caused more than 18,000 deaths, in addition to a severe nuclear accident with meltdowns at three reactors.
3. Sumatra, Indonesia (2004)
A magnitude 9.1 earthquake, followed by a devastating tsunami, struck Southeast Asia, South Asia and East Africa. An estimated 230,000 people died, more than 167,000 in Indonesia alone, where entire communities disappeared.
Twenty years on from the earthquake last December, experts said that it was a "wake-up call" for understanding the dangers of these events.
2. Alaska, USA (1964)
With a magnitude of 9.2, this earthquake shook Prince William Sound for nearly five minutes. More than 130 people were killed by the earthquake and the tsunami that followed. There were landslides and giant waves that caused massive flooding. Thousands of aftershocks were recorded in the following weeks.
1. Biobío, Chile (1960)
A magnitude 9.5 earthquake, known as the great Valdivia earthquake, devastated south-central Chile.
It is the largest in recorded history and caused more than 1,600 deaths, most from the tsunami that followed. Thousands were injured.
