Tsunami waves have reached the US west coast after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia's eastern coast triggered warnings across the Pacific - here's a list of the areas affected
The earthquake, which hit near Kamchatka Peninsula at about 11:25am local time (00:25 BST) on Wednesday, is one of the most powerful ever recorded
Residents have been describing the moment the earthquake hit, with one telling the BBC: "Chaos broke out, furniture started falling before our eyes"
Tsunami warnings have since been downgraded in Japan, Russia and Hawaii - almost two million people had been told to evacuate in Japan
Meanwhile, Russian authorities have evacuated the town of Severo-Kurilsk after 4m (13ft) waves flooded the port - BBC Verify's been analysing footage from the area
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Tsunami waves are "now impacting Hawaii", the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says in an update.
"Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property," it adds, warning that the danger may persist for hours.
Electricity has been shut off after the earthquake damaged a power grid in Russia's Sakhalin region, RIA news agency reported, citing its regional governor.
As we reported earlier, Sakhalin has declared a state of emergency in its northern Kuril Islands, while videos show tsunami waves inundating a port town.
Authorities say everyone in the area had been evacuated to safety.
A wave has passed through the Midway Atoll island between Japan and Hawaii at 6ft (1.8m), Hawaii governor Josh Green says.
He says this was from the trough to peak of the wave.
"We're still expecting a significant wave," he adds, and they will only give the all clear when they feel there is "total safety".
In a briefing a little earlier, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi says the city is under a full tsunami alert, and calls for people in low lying areas to get to higher ground.
Regan Morris
Reporting from Los Angeles
As Maui braces for the impact of tsunami waves, water is being shut off in many parts of the Hawaiian island.
The County of Maui Department of Water Supply says they will be closing off valves along coastal areas “out of an abundance of caution”.
People are encouraged to store water and to expect low or no water pressure until the valves were reopened, it says.
The County of Maui also shut down several wastewater pump stations and facilities in Lahaina, Kihei and Central Maui “to prevent damage amid the tsunami warning”.
From Tokyo to Hawaii, from California to New Zealand, millions are on high alert amid fears of tsunamis.
If you're just joining us, here's a roundup of the massive earthquake off the Russian coast and tsunami warnings currently in place across the Pacific:
Stay with us as we bring you all the latest updates.
The US coastguard in Honolulu has issued an order for evacuation of commercial vessels from Hawaiian ports, with all harbours closed to incoming traffic.
Any vessels near Hawaii should remain offshore until tsunami waves have passed, the coastguard statement said.
Several flights bound for Hawaii have also been diverted mid-air, with many being redirected back to their airports of origin, according to flight tracking websites.
Max Matza
Live reporter
Image source, SuppliedAfter watching the water level at the beach recede, lifelong Maui resident Felicia Johnson tells BBC News that she can now see it rising significantly.
“The water’s rising. It’s eerily weird,” says Johnson, 47, while packing her truck to spend a night with her family and friends in the mountains.
She compares the situation to the fire that hit Lahaina two years ago, devastating the island and her family.
“We went through this with the fires, and there was no warning, and it was just so devastating. Now, we have so much warning that if we don’t go it's our fault.”
This time round, she plans to sleep in the truck, with her husband and two dogs. She’s also bringing knives, in case they encounter any wild pigs in the forest.
Shaimaa Khalil
Tokyo correspondent
More than 1.9 million people have been asked to evacuate in Japan. Around 10,500 of these people are in Hokkaido, where local media footage shows people gathering on a rooftop.
Some also gathered in an observatory overlooking the beach in Chiba south of Tokyo.
Authorities have continued to urge residents on Japan’s east coast to evacuate to higher ground.
Dozens of waves have been observed across Japan’s Pacific coast. Evacuation warnings now span hundreds of kilometres/miles along its pacific coast - from Hokkaido in the north to Wakayama prefecture in the south.
The Meteorological agency said that tsunami waves could reach up to 3 metres high.
Russia's Sakhalin region has declared a state of emergency in the northern Kuril Islands and the Severo-Kurilsk district.
Kuril Islands mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov said that "everyone" in the area had been evacuated. "There was enough time, a whole hour. So everyone was evacuated, all the people are in the tsunami safety zone," he said, AFP reported.
Meanwhile, video has emerged of tsunami waves inundating a port town of Severo-Kurilsk.
Moment tsunami waves hit a coastal town in Russia
As we just reported, China is one of several countries to have issued tsunami warnings following the 8.8 earthquake of Russia's far eastern coast.
China's tsunami warning centre said that waves of between 30cm and 1-metre are expected to hit the country's eastern coast.
"Based on the latest warning and analysis results, the Tsunami Advisory Center of the Ministry of National Resources has determined that the earthquake has triggered a tsunami, which is expected to cause damage to certain coastal areas of China," the centre said.
A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula at about 11:25am local time on Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in the US and Japan.
As Helen Janiszewski, assistant professor in geophysics and tectonics division at the University of Hawaii told the BBC, "a good rule of thumb for tsunami waves is that they travel at about the speed of a jet plane."
So if you think of how long it would take to travel by plane from one place to another, that is how long it takes for waves to travel from the quake epicentre to hit elsewhere, she says.
We may have seen the first tsunami waves in Japan - but the risk is far from over. That's the message from Japanese officials.
In the last few moments, the Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a statement saying that major tsunamis could be expected for more than a day after the earthquake in Russia.
"Tsunamis are still being observed, and there is a risk of damage from tsunamis," it says. "Tsunamis can strike suddenly. Please do not leave safe places until the warning is lifted.
"When the tsunami coincides with high tide, there is a possibility that the water level will rise further than it currently is," the official statement reads.
Fears of a tsunami after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia have triggered evacuations across Russia, Japan and Hawaii.
Tsunami advisories have also been issued in countries including the Philippines, Indonesia and New Zealand, warning people to stay away from beaches.
Watch: Major earthquake off Russia triggers widespread tsunami warnings
As we reported earlier, at least three tsunami waves have flooded parts of the Russian port town Severo-Kurilsk, in the country's Sakhalin region.
We're now getting some photos of flood waters surging onto shore.
The town has a population of around 2,000 people.
Image source, ReutersTsunami waves surge past buildings in Severo-Kurilsk
Image source, ReutersAt least three tsunami waves have hit the Russian port town
The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky International Airport is operating normally after the massive earthquake, according to a fresh statement , externalfrom the airport authorities.
Flights are still going on schedule, and the runway is in "satisfactory condition" - though the quake damaged ceiling panels in the airport, authorities said.
Passengers in the waiting room were temporarily evacuated, and one person was injured in the earthquake, they added.
The Philippines and Indonesia have also issued tsunami advisories, expecting smaller waves than other areas but urging residents to avoid shorelines.
The Philippine volcanology and seismology agency released a tsunami advisory on Wednesday, following the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off Kamchatka, Russia. It said tsunami waves of less than 1 meter are expected to arrive on Wednesday early afternoon (Manila time). Residents in more than 20 provinces have been cautioned against going near beaches and coastal areas.
The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami early warning for parts of eastern Indonesia. The warning covers coastal areas in North Sulawesi, North Maluku, West Papua, and Gorontalo. Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and avoid the shoreline. As of Wednesday morning, no evacuation orders had been issued.
We're getting some images of vehicles departing Waikiki beach in Oahu, Hawaii after a tsunami alert was issued in the US state.
As we've just reported, authorities there said the first tsunami waves to hit Hawaii could still be a few hours away.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, ReutersHonolulu resident Adam Jung loads water and other supplies into his vehicle
Image source, ReutersTraffic builds up along a highway in Honolulu
Over the last few hours, the US and Japan have been among countries that have issued tsunami warnings and evacuation orders, as one of the most powerful earthquakes in history, at magnitude 8.8, struck off the coast of Russia.
With a tsunami warning in place for Hawaii and advisories in Alaska and the US's Pacific coast, here's the difference between the two:
Tsunami warnings alert the public of potentially dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents, urging them to steer clear of the water and move to higher ground or inland.
Tsunami advisories are lower level alerts of strong currents or waves dangerous to people in or near the water. These advise the public to stay out of the water and away from beaches.
Image source, EPA