A massive 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s eastern coast early Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific and along the U.S. West Coast.

A tsunami hit coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands, Japan and Hawaii and Alaska after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia. Warnings were in place for Alaska and other coasts south toward New Zealand.

An earthquake of magnitude 8.8 - one of the world's strongest-struck Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula early on Wednesday, generating a tsunami of up to 4 metres (13 feet).