Hell in the Pacific

A POWERFUL earthquake sparked fears of a deadly tsunami striking the Pacific, from Japan to Hawaii and the US mainland.

- BY CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN

An 8.8-magnitude undersea quake one of the most powerful ever recorded - struck off the east coast of Russia in the early hours yesterday.

Classified as a "megathrust", it triggered tsunami warnings and evacuation orders across multiple countries.

Fears of mass casualties were initially high, amid memories of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 230,000 people.

Hawaii governor Josh Green issued a stark warning as sirens blared and residents fled inland.

He said: "God willing, these waves will not hurt us. But you have to assume they will be life-threatening. A tsunami will not just hit one beach, it will wrap around the islands."

Tourists and locals were seen racing to safety as emergency alerts spread across the US state's islands.

TV star Oprah Winfrey, who owns a large property on Maui, opened her private road to fleeing residents.