A series of strong undersea earthquakes shook the waters off Russia’s far eastern coast on Sunday, prompting a tsunami warning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The seismic activity began with tremors measuring 5.0 and 6.7 in magnitude, which initially did not raise tsunami concerns.

However, a more intense 7.4-magnitude quake struck at 08:49 GMT, leading to alerts of potentially dangerous tsunami waves.

The USGS warned that coastal regions of Russia could experience waves ranging from 30 centimeters to one meter (up to 3.3 feet), while smaller surges under 30 centimeters were expected along the coastlines of Japan and Hawaii.

The earthquakes originated in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

The major quakes were followed by a series of aftershocks, including another powerful tremor with a magnitude of 6.7, the USGS reported.

Russia’s emergency ministry announced via Telegram that waves as high as 60 centimeters were anticipated around the Commander Islands, located in the southwestern Bering Sea. The Kamchatka Peninsula was projected to face waves between 15 and 40 centimeters.

This region, where the Pacific and North American tectonic plates meet, is known for high seismic activity. Since 1900, it has been the epicenter of at least seven major quakes measuring 8.3 or greater in magnitude.