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HEARTBREAKING footage shows giant whales washed up on a beach in Japan after a monster Russian earthquake sparked tsunami warnings.
The magnitude 8.8 quake hit off Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka peninsula on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said – with waves also lashing Japan and Hawaii.
The quake struck about 84 miles off the coast at around 7.24pm EST (12:30am BST) at a shallow depth of 19.3km (12 miles).
It is the 6th largest ever recorded and the largest since the 2011 shake which led to a tsunami that caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
A mere few hours after the terrifying earthquake hit, four whales washed up along the coast of Japan.
Japanese TV aired videos of the beached whales in Tateyama, Chiba prefecture.
Heartbreaking footage shows the gargantuan creatures laying within a few feet of each other on the beach.
Waves are captured lashing around the creatures as the Russian quake continues to wreak chaos.
Thankfully, the area was not hit by a major tsunami – and it remains unclear if the beached whales are a direct result of the quake, as some reports suggested an earlier typhoon could be to blame.
Meanwhile five beluga whales washed ashore in Russia’s region of Kamchatka after water receded due to the tsunami.
Residents were seen throwing water over the whales to try and save them.
A 4m (13ft) high wave was recorded on the southern tip of Kamchatka with waves inundating low lying areas and thousands evacuating.
Hawaii is bracing for the possibility of 3m (10ft) surges that could strike across the northern islands in the chain.
Waves 1.2m (4ft) have already hit Hawaii with video caught by locals showing the water receding moments before.
Locals in low lying and coastal areas are now heading for the hills with warning sirens blasting out across Honolulu.
Some 1.9m people in Japan have been ordered to evacuate with small waves already hitting the country.
It’s a nightmare scenario for the country that suffered a nuclear disaster at Fukushima in 2011 caused by a tsunami.
Tsunami warnings have been issued for as far away as Indonesia, New Zealand and Peru.
Officials in California’s Monterey County have told those living in boats to seek shelter with waves 5ft high possible in the north of the state.
With the threat to the US, President Donald Trump posted: “Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii.
“A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit tsunami.gov/ for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”
What is a tsunami?
TSUNAMIS are waves triggered by earthquakes, underwater volcanic eruptions and submarine landslides.
After an underwater earthquake, the seafloor rises and drops, which lifts water up and down. The energy from this pushes sea water that transfers to waves.
Many people think of tsunamis as one wave – but they are typically multiple waves that hit the shore like a fast-rising tide.
Many tsunamis are small and don’t cause damage, but others can cause massive destruction.
In 2004, a 9.1 magnitude quake struck off the coast of Indonesia – causing waves that levelled remote villages, ports and tourist resorts along the Indian Ocean across Southeast and South Asia
