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The danger already appeared to be subsiding in some places, with authorities in Hawaii and parts of Japan and Russia downgrading their warnings. But Chile upgraded its warning to the highest level for most of its lengthy Pacific coast, and said it was evacuating hundreds of people.

Here's the latest:

Colombia orders evacuation of beaches

Officials in Colombia have ordered the complete closure and evacuation of beaches and low-tide areas along the country’s Pacific coast.

Maritime traffic is also being restricted. Officials say strong currents and tsunami waves were possible in two coastal states, including one that borders Ecuador.

Threat to US ‘has passed completely’

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the threat of a major tsunami hitting the United States “has passed completely.�

Noem, speaking in Chile where she is attending meetings with officials, told reporters in the capital, Santiago: “We’re in really good shape right now. We were fully deployed and ready to respond if necessary, but grateful that we didn’t have to deal with the situation that this could have been.�

Chile raises tsunami warning to highest level

Chile has upgraded its tsunami warning to its highest level.

The red alert covers most of its 6,400-kilometer (4,000-mile) Pacific coastline, from Arica and Parinacota near its northern border to Magallanes in the far south.

The Education Ministry also canceled classes along much of the coast.

Explosions and lava flows on Russian volcano

Lava has begun to flow from the largest active volcano in the northern hemisphere Wednesday following the earthquake off Russia’s far eastern coast.

The Klyuchevskaya Sopka — which last erupted in 2023 — stands at 4,750 meters (15,584 feet) in the east of Russia’s Kamchatka region.

Observers heard explosions and saw streams of lava on the volcano’s western slopes, the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ geophysical service said.

Scientists have anticipated an eruption, with the volcano’s crater filling with lava for several weeks and the mountain spitting out plumes of ash.

Sometimes described as the “land of fire and ice,� Kamchatka is one of the most active volcanic regions in the world. It has about 300 volcanoes, of which 29 are active, according to NASA Earth Observatory.

California city urges people to stay away from beaches

Officials warned people to stay away from beaches and waterways in Crescent City, California, which has observed dozens of tsunamis since the 1930s, including one that killed 11 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings in the city in 1964.

The warning came after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's Far East coast on Wednesday. The U.S. ºÃÉ«tv Weather Service’s Eureka office reported tsunami waves with a maximum height of 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) in Crescent City — enough to create minor coastal flooding and inundation.

The 1964 event, considered the worst tsunami disaster recorded in the United States, began with a 9.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska, according to the Crescent City website. Three smaller waves caused little damage, but then a big wave — nearly 21 feet (more than 6 meters) — devastated 29 city blocks and killed 11.

The city’s downtown was mostly rebuilt and today a walking tour highlights high-water marks posted on surviving buildings, objects pushed by waves and memorials to those who died.

Japan downgrades last tsunami alert

Japan has downgraded its last remaining tsunami alert, which was in the country’s north.

Tsunami advisories remain in place for its Pacific coast following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off Russia's Far East on Wednesday.

Russian authorities cancel tsunami warnings for 2 regions

Russian authorities on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands have canceled their tsunami warnings but say the risk of aftershocks and waves remains.

The regional branch of Russia’s Emergency Ministry on Kamchatka warned that scientists expect aftershocks at magnitudes of up to 7.5. It said that more tsunamis are possible in the Avacha Bay where the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located.

Russia says regional authorities were prepared

The Kremlin said that regional authorities on Kamchatka were well prepared for the quake.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the warnings were issued timely and people were quickly evacuated from dangerous areas. He added that the buildings proved resilient to shocks.

Tsunami-driven tides build in northern California

Tsunami activity continued to build in northern California as high tide approached Wednesday morning with maximum confirmed heights along the coast of 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) in Crescent City, 3.0 feet (.9 meters) in Arena Cove and 1.2 feet (.4 meters) in Humboldt Bay, according to the ºÃÉ«tv Weather Service office in Eureka.

The measurements in Crescent City and Arena Cove were high enough to create minor coastal flooding and inundation, the weather service said on social media, adding that tsunami activity will persist and people should avoid beaches and harbors.

Crescent City officials warned on social media that higher surges could arrive around high tide and could affect lower lying areas. They asked people to stay away from beaches and waterways.

Hawaii and parts of Japan downgrade tsunami warnings

Hawaii and parts of Japan downgraded tsunami warnings, with Hawaii lifting evacuation orders across the state while leaving a tsunami advisory in place.

Officials in Hawaii said residents who had evacuated could return to their homes.

Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, the Adjutant General of the State of Hawaii Department of Defense, said an advisory means there is the potential for strong currents and dangerous waves, as well as flooding on beaches or in harbors.

Russia declares state of emergency in areas hit by earthquake

The Russian authorities declared a state of emergency on the Kuril Islands and in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the main city on the Kamchatka peninsula.

They earlier reported that several tsunami waves flooded the fishing port of Severo-Kurilsk, the main city on the islands, and cut power supplies to the area. Russia's Oceanography Institute said tsunami waves that hit the city topped 6 meters (19 feet).

Japan asserts territorial rights to the four Pacific islands it calls the Northern Territories. They were taken by the Soviet Union in the final days of World War II, and the dispute has kept the countries from signing a peace treaty.

8.8-magnitude quake was among the strongest this century

Wednesday’s 8.8-magnitude quake was among the four strongest earthquakes this century, and among the eight strongest since 1900, according to the USGS.

The earthquake occurred along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.

The 2011 Japan quake and the 2004 earthquake off Indonesia were 9.1 magnitude, and a 2010 earthquake in Chile also was recorded at 8.8 magnitude.

Japanese official warns evacuees they might not be able to return home by day’s end

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told evacuees in the tsunami-affected areas that they might not be able to return home by the end of the day on Wednesday.

Hayashi said waves could remain high for at least one day, and he urged evacuees to take precautions and stay well hydrated in the summer heat.

Damage and minor injuries reported in Russian Far East

Local authorities on Russia's Kamchatka peninsula said several people were injured during the massive quake, but didn’t give an exact number.

Oleg Melnikov, head of the regional health department, said a few people hurt themselves while rushing to leave buildings and a hospital patient received an injury while jumping out of a window. Melnikov said that all injured people were in satisfactory condition.

A video released by Russian media outlet showed a team of doctors at a cancer clinic on Kamchatka holding a patient and clutching medical equipment as the quake rocked an operating room, before continuing with surgery after the shaking stopped. Officials said the doctors will receive decorations.

In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka’s regional capital, the quake damaged a local kindergarten, which was not in operation due to ongoing repair work.

Water recedes at Hawaii beaches as tsunami reaches Oahu

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said officials observed water receding by 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) at Haleiwa Harbor on Oahu, the state’s most populous island, an indication tsunami waves will arrive. The waves pulling out left boats to lay on dry rock and sand. “That gave us pause,� Green said.

So far no damage has been recorded, but it will take two to three hours of observation before authorities will be able to determine whether the event has passed, Green said.

Pacific island nations urge people to avoid coastlines

Authorities in a number of small island nations in the South Pacific Ocean urged people to stay away from coastlines, familiarize themselves with evacuation routes and await further guidance from officials, but did not order evacuations.

Some tiny and low-lying Pacific island chains are among the world’s most imperiled by tsunamis and rising seas.

Cautions to stay away from beaches until any wave surges passed late Wednesday were issued by officials in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia and Solomon Islands.

Nearly 2 million people under evacuation advisories in Japan

Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said nearly 2 million residents are now under evacuation advisories in more than 220 municipalities along the Pacific coast as of midday Wednesday.

It added that one person was slightly injured on the northern island of Hokkaido when a woman in her 60s fell while rushing to evacuate. She was taken to a hospital.

Governor says Hawaii is ready for evacuations

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said data from Midway Atoll, which is part of the way between Japan and Hawaii, measured tsunami waves from peak to trough of 6 feet (1.8 meters).

He said waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller and it was too early to tell how large they would be. A tsunami of that size would be akin to a three foot (90 centimeter) wave riding on top of surf, he said.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said data from Midway Atoll, which is part of the way between Japan and Hawaii, measured tsunami waves from peak to trough of 6 feet (1.8 meters).

He said waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller and it was too early to tell how large they would be. A tsunami of that size would be akin to a three foot (90 centimeter) wave riding on top of surf, he said.

He told a new conference that a wave that size could move cars and throw fences around.

“It can dislodge trees, that’s why you can’t just be out there. The impact is at great speed,� Green said. “Any any structure that gets loose and strikes the individual could take them out. And people can drown quite easily with the force of that kind of wave.�

Green said Black Hawk helicopters have been activated and high-water vehicles were ready to go in case authorities need to rescue people.

“But please do not put yourself in harm’s way,� he said.

Tsunami sirens sound in remote California city

The small Northern California community of Crescent City turned on its tsunami sirens to warn residents about possible waves.

“You are hearing a Tsunami Siren. We are under a Tsunami Warning. Please stay away from beaches and waterways. A predicted wave may hit at 11:55 pm. We are waiting on additional information about any level of evacuation,� read a post from the City Hall Facebook account.

The city in rural Northern California has roughly 6,000 residents.

A tsunami in 1964 caused by an earthquake in Alaska caused a wave 21 feet (6.4 meters) high to hit the city, killing 11 people and destroying its downtown.

Lines form at Honolulu gas stations

There were long lines at gas stations near downtown Honolulu, with standstill traffic even in areas away from the shoreline.

A Texaco gas station in the Nuuanu-Punchbowl neighborhood closed early so that workers could go home. The workers set out cones at pumps and turned away motorists.

Jimmy Markowski, on a family vacation from Hot Springs, Arkansas, ended up at the closed Texaco station after fleeing their Waikiki beach resort in a caravan of three cars carrying 15 people.

“All we’re trying to do is just figure out what we’re going to do for the next three or four hours,� he said. “We’ve got water, we got some snacks ... we’re going to stay elevated. This is our first tsunami warning ever. So this is all new to us.�