But the danger appeared to be waning in some places, with the US state of Hawaii and Japan downgrading their warnings. Authorities on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands near the quake’s epicentre also cancelled their tsunami warning on Wednesday evening after a flooded seaport town there had earlier been evacuated.

One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Russia's Far East early Wednesday, sending tsunami waves into Hawaii, the U.S. West Coast and Japan. Several people were injured, none gravely, and no major damage has been reported so far.