The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has issued a tsunami advisory following a powerful undersea earthquake that struck off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia, on the morning of Wednesday, July 30.
The earthquake occurred at 7:25 a.m. (Philippine Standard Time), and updated data from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center indicates that tsunami waves of less than one meter are expected to impact several coastal areas in the Philippines facing the Pacific Ocean.
Phivolcs estimates that the initial wave arrivals may occur between 1:20 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. (PST).
Phivolcs warned that the initial waves may not be the largest and that tsunami activity could continue for several hours.
It advised the public to be on alert for unusual wave activity and to stay away from beaches and low-lying coastal areas in the following provinces:
* Luzon: Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes
* Visayas: Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Southern Leyte
* Mindanao: Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, and Davao del Sur
Residents in these areas, especially those living near the shore, are advised to move farther inland as a precaution. (Ellalyn de Vera-Ruiz)
