8.8 magnitude earthquake near Russia prompts tsunami alerts in Alaska, Hawaii, and West Coast

A massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Russia earlier today, immediately setting off tsunami warnings in Alaska and Hawaii and alerts for other areas of the West Coast.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred about 85 miles off the east coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula with a depth of nearly 12 miles. Initially reported as an 8.0, the USGS upgraded the earthquake's reported magnitude from to 8.8.

Magnitude 6.3 and 6.9 aftershocks were also reported in the area, according to USGS.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tsunami warning for Alaska's Aleutian Islands, including Adak, Attu, St. Paul, and St. George, and all of the islands of Hawaii, which directed residents away from beaches and to seek higher ground. States along the west coast-California, Oregon and Washington-are under a tsunami advisory, while the threat continues to be evaluated.

While the tsunami watch was canceled for the coastal areas of Alaska from the British Columbia/Alaska Border to Chignik Bay, Alaska, a tsunami warning remains in effect for the coastal areas of Alaska from Samalga Pass, Alaska (30 miles SW of Nikolski) to Attu, Alaska.

A tsunami watch — the lightest of NOAA’s warning system — was initiated for the coastal regions of Kodiak Island, the Kenai Peninsula, Home, Seward, and the upper Cook Inlet, but has been dropped.

Pacific coastal regions outside California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska should refer to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center messages for information on this event at www.tsunami.gov. The warning also extends to the U.S. territories of Guam and American Samoa are also under a tsunami advisory, according to USGS.

The earthquake comes weeks after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the coast of the Aleutians, near the community of Sand Point, which triggered tsunami warnings.

The powerful earthquake is said to be the strongest anywhere in the world since the March 2011 earthquake off northeast Japan that measured 9.0 magnitude. That earthquake also caused a massive tsunami that leveled several villages and led to a meltdowns at a Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The most powerful earthquake to hit Alaska was the 1964 earthquake, known as the Great Alaska Earthquake or Good Friday earthquake, which was a magnitude 9.2 megathrust earthquake that struck Southcentral Alaska on March 27, 1964. It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North America and the second largest ever recorded worldwide. The earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused widespread destruction and significant loss of life.

This is a developing story.