Tsunami warning sirens blared across parts of Japan as a powerful earthquake struck Russia earlier today.

The magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Kamchatka at 11:25 am local time (UTC+12) on Wednesday, July 30. The US Geological Survey reports that the quake occurred at a depth of 19.3 kilometres.

Authorities said the powerful tremor triggered tsunami waves as high as 13ft along Russia's coastline, leading to evacuations and causing damage to buildings.

Footage captures the calm sea in Atami, a coastal city on the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture, while an alert echoes in the background.

The filmer said: 'I'm staying at a hotel along the coast of Atami, but the moment a tsunami warning was issued due to the earthquake, fishermen began heading out to sea to protect their boats. This scale feels like the Great East Japan Earthquake.'

The US Tsunami Warning System issued an alert for hazardous tsunami waves expected within the next three hours along parts of the coasts of Russia, Japan, and Hawaii.

A tsunami watch was also issued for the US territory of Guam and several islands in Micronesia, while a tsunami warning was in effect for Alaska's remote Aleutian Islands.

The warning centre also placed the US West Coast under a tsunami watch, including southern Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California, specifically Los Angeles Harbour.

The watch extended inland along Washington's Salish Sea, covering Port Angeles, Port Townsend, and Bellingham.

The Kamchatka Peninsula lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for intense seismic and volcanic activity.