The Latest: Tsunami hits Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido

A tsunami has hit coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s large northern island of Hokkaido after a powerful, 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia early Wednesday.

Tsunami warning sirens blared in Honolulu as residents were urged to higher ground. “Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,” the warning stated. The first waves in Hawaii were expected around 7 p.m. local time.

The first tsunami wave hit the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk, the main settlement on Russia’s Kuril Islands in the Pacific, according to the local governor Valery Limarenko. He said residents were safe and staying on high ground until the threat of a repeat wave was gone.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves of 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) above tide level were possible along some coastal areas of Hawaii, Chile, Japan and the Solomon Islands. Waves of more than 3 meters (10 feet) were possible along some coastal areas of Russia and Ecuador.

Here's the latest:

The Philippines warns residents of possible tsunami waves

Philippine authorities warned provinces and towns along the archipelago’s eastern coast facing the Pacific of possible tsunami waves of less than 1 meter (3 feet) that could hit between 1:20pm to 2:40 pm (local time) and advised people to stay away from the beach and coastal areas.

“It may not be the largest of waves, but these can continue for hours and expose people swimming in the waters to danger,” Teresito Bacolcol of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology told The Associated Press.

First waves hit Hokkaido in Japan and Russia’s Kuril Islands

The Japan Meteorological Agency said a first tsunami wave of about 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) reached Nemuro on the eastern coast of Hokkaido.

The first tsunami wave hit the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk, the main settlement on Russia’s Kuril Islands in the Pacific, according to the local governor Valery Limarenko.

He said residents were safe and staying on high ground until the threat of a repeat wave was gone.