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By Jasmine Laws
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Whales have been seen washed ashore in Japan by tsunami waves, following a massive earthquake off the eastern coast of Russia.
A video shared on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, shows four whales beached on what was reported to be Hirasuna Beach in Chiba, on Wednesday.
Russia's Kuril Islands and Japan's northern island of Hokkaido have been hit by tsunami waves after the magnitude 8.8 undersea earthquake—which appeared to be one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded and the biggest since Japan's 2011 quake.
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The Context
The earthquake, which sent shockwaves through the Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday morning, was initially measured at 8.0 by seismologists in Japan and the U.S., although, the U.S. Geological Survey later determined the quake was an 8.8, at a depth of 20.7 kilometers.
Russian authorities have now declared a state of emergency on the Kuril Islands after tsunami waves inundated the region.
What To Know
Likely as a result of the changes in water levels and currents near the coast following the earthquake, whales have been spotted washing up on a beach in Japan, with the footage broadcast live on local TV.
When tension between tectonic plates is released in the event of an earthquake, the reverberations through the ocean floor can displace large volumes of water, causing waves to build with much greater motion. The rapid change to the water's current can then drag sea life, such as whales, ashore.
The seismic activity prompted tsunami warnings and urgent evacuations along the Pacific Rim.
Around 2 million residents in over 220 coastal municipalities have been placed under evacuation advisories in Japan, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency announced, as tsunami waves as high as 1.3 meters hit the northern Iwate prefecture, the BBC reported.
There have also been reports of 16 other locations along the Pacific coast being affected by large waves according to News 18, from Hokkaido to areas just northeast of Tokyo.
California and Hawaii are also on high alert, with Hawaii Governor Josh Green saying large waves, some as high as 1.2 meters according to the BBC, having already struck land.
The Philippines, Indonesia, Guam, Peru and the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador have also been issued with tsunami alerts.
What People Are Saying
@TPV_John, named The Patriot Voice, an X user with more than 164,000 followers on the platform, wrote: "Whales have started to wash ashore in Japan as a result of the MASSIVE Tsunami. This is NOT GOOD. It's not a common thing to see at all, and it's indicative that this quake was absolutely DEVASTATING to the marine life."
@Rainmaker1973, named Massimo, an X user with 2 million followers on the platform, wrote on X: "Beached whales in Tateyama, Japan, possibly due to the sudden receding water levels caused by the tsunami hitting the coasts of Japan. Another explanation could be related to high waves from the typhoon."
What Happens Next
According to one Facebook user, who appeared to be at the scene, the whales were not able to make it back to sea even when the tide was high, leaving them stranded on the beach.
Tsunami warnings remain active for Alaska, Hawaii, and coastal regions stretching as far south as New Zealand.
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