A powerful earthquake off Russia’s east coast triggered tsunami waves across the Pacific, prompting alerts in Hawaii and California.

Tsunami waves have reached California and Hawaii several hours after a powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia's Far East. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said Wednesday morning that tsunami waves measuring 1.6 feet above tide level have been observed in Arena Cove in the U.S. state of California.

Damage and evacuations were reported in the Russian regions nearest the quake's epicentre on the Kamchatka Peninsula. One of the three waves damaged port infrastructure and pulled several moored ships out into the straits, TASS news agency reported.