A Delta Airlines flight en route to the Hawaiian Islands made an unexpected return to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Tuesday after a tsunami warning was issued for parts of the Pacific following a powerful undersea earthquake. Delta Flight 311, which was bound for Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, had been in the air for nearly four hours before it turned back mid-route.

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Tsunami warnings issued across the Pacific

A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, triggering tsunami waves up to 5 metres (16 feet) and prompting evacuation orders across the Pacific, including in Hawaii. The quake caused structural damage and injured several people in the remote Russian region. Authorities also issued evacuation alerts along much of Japan’s eastern coastline, a region still haunted by the devastation of the 2011 tsunami that followed a 9.0-magnitude quake.

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Why Hawaii is a Tsunami spot?

Hawaii is one of the most tsunami-prone regions in the world due to its remote location in the Pacific Ocean and its position along the seismic “Ring of Fire.” Following the massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29, tsunami warnings were issued across the Pacific, including in Hawaii. According to NOAA, tsunami waves can reach Hawaii from regions like Russia, South America, and Alaska. The islands experience destructive tsunamis roughly once every 11 years. The first recorded tsunami occurred on December 21, 1812, at Ho’okena on the Big Island. Since then, over 160 tsunamis have been confirmed, with nine causing 294 deaths and over $625 million in damages. Major past events include the 1946 Aleutian Islands quake (159 deaths), the 1960 Chile quake (61 deaths), and others from Kamchatka and Alaska. Today, scientists analyze coral deposits to trace historical tsunami activity and improve future predictions.