GeologyRocks

Earth tremors from Comoros' volcano Mount Karthala grew stronger and more frequent, residents said on Sunday, forcing thousands of nervous families to sleep outside overnight for fear their homes might collapse.

The Indian Ocean archipelago's largest island, Grand Comore, was put on red alert after Mount Karthala - one of the world's largest active volcanos - began to glow red and emit suffocating fumes late on Friday.

Thousands of people in residents along Japan's eastern coast fled to higher ground after an 8.2 magnitude earthquake triggered tsunami warnings Saturday in parts of the Pacific region, including Hawaii and Alaska.

The warnings, which were lifted nine hours after the quake, rattled coastal residents more than two years after giant waves spawned by an Indian Ocean earthquake killed at least 230,000.