Japan and the United States issued tsunami warnings on Wednesday after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Russia’s eastern coast, prompting urgent evacuation orders and warnings of destructive waves across the Pacific.

The quake, which occurred about 126 kilometres from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the Russian Far East at a depth of 18 kilometres, triggered immediate concern in coastal regions.

In Japan, authorities ordered residents living along the Pacific coast to move to higher ground or designated evacuation buildings.

"Damage due to tsunami waves is expected. Evacuate immediately from coastal regions and riverside areas to a safer place such as high ground or an evacuation building. Tsunami waves are expected to hit repeatedly. Do not leave safe ground until the warning is lifted," the Japanese government said in an emergency alert.

The country’s northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido, reported the arrival of initial tsunami waves, measuring 30cm, shortly before 10.40am local time.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said officials were still assessing the situation and that early efforts would focus on saving lives. “Authorities were working to access the situation,” he said, adding that any relief operations would “put human lives first.” As of the latest reports, there were no confirmed cases of injuries or significant damage in Japan.

In Russia, officials said waves between three and four metres hit parts of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Sergei Lebedev, the regional minister for emergency situations, said there were no injuries but confirmed a kindergarten had been damaged.

Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov described the tremor as “serious and the strongest in decades of tremors” in a video shared on Telegram.

Meanwhile, the United States issued tsunami warnings for both Alaska and Hawaii, with authorities warning that Hawaii could experience waves as high as three metres.

Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management issued alerts urging immediate evacuation in parts of Oahu, including the state capital, warning: "Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves are expected."

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based in Honolulu, added that waves measuring one to three metres could also affect the US territory of Guam.

The earthquake was initially recorded at magnitude 8.7 but was later revised to 8.8 by the United States Geological Survey. A tsunami is a series of powerful sea waves usually triggered by underwater earthquakes, and even moderate surges can cause wide-scale destruction along coastlines.

Authorities in all affected countries remain on high alert, closely monitoring wave patterns and preparing for possible aftershocks or additional surges.