A tsunami sent powerful waves toward coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands, Japan and Hawaii and Alaska after a powerful, 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia early Wednesday.<br /><br />Hawaii and parts of Japan downgraded tsunami warnings, with Hawaii lifting evacuation orders across the state while leaving a tsunami advisory in place.<br /><br />Officials in Hawaii said residents who had evacuated could return to their homes.<br /><br />Japan’s Meteorological Agency downgraded its tsunami alert to an advisory in the Pacific coast south of Fukushima, with the alert still in place farther north.
