Malaysia is closely monitoring developments after the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory following a powerful earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) confirmed that, to date, there have been no reports of Malaysians affected by the situation.
“However, all Malaysians in the affected areas are strongly advised to remain vigilant, comply with safety directives issued by local authorities, and stay informed through official channels,” the ministry said.
The statement also urged Malaysians residing in or transiting through the affected regions to register with the Malaysian Embassy and maintain close contact to enable swift assistance if required.
According to the ministry, Malaysians needing consular support can contact the Embassy of Malaysia in Tokyo at 20-16, Nanpeidai-cho, Shibuya-ku, 150-0036 Tokyo, Japan. They may also call +81-3-3476-3840 (emergency line: +81-80-4322-3366) or email mwtokyo@kln.gov.my / consular.tyo@kln.gov.my.
As an added precaution, Wisma Putra is monitoring potential impacts of the earthquake on other Pacific-facing nations, including the United States (particularly Hawaii), Mexico, China’s eastern seaboard, and the Philippines, where tsunami alerts or precautionary advisories may also be issued.
On Wednesday, Japan issued a tsunami warning for its Pacific coastline after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula. Kyodo News reported that waves of up to 50 centimetres were recorded in parts of northern and eastern Japan.
The Japan Meteorological Agency also cautioned that tsunami waves of up to three metres could affect coastal areas from Hokkaido in the north to Wakayama Prefecture in the west and the Ogasawara Islands in the south. The warning is expected to remain in effect for most of the day, the agency said.
The earthquake struck at 8:24 a.m., approximately 120 kilometres east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a depth of around 20 kilometres, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Tsunami waves measuring up to four metres were also reported off southeastern Kamchatka, with several people injured, Russia’s TASS news agency reported.
