Alerts for a potential tsunami were issued for coastlines in North America, Hawaii, Russia and Japan after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck in the North Pacific Ocean off Russia’s northern Pacific coast, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System, which is part of the National Weather Service.

One of the world’s strongest earthquakes struck Russia’s Far East on Wednesday as an 8.8-magnitude tremor set off a tsunami in the northern Pacific and prompted warnings for Alaska, Hawaii and south toward New Zealand.

The magnitude 8.8 quake is believed to be the joint sixth-largest on record, though only minor injuries near the epicenter have been reported.