France, July 30 -- Countries across the Pacific rim lifted tsunami warnings on Wednesday, allowing millions of temporary evacuees to return home.

After one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded rattled Russia's sparsely populated Far East, more than a dozen nations- from Japan to the United States to Ecuador- warned citizens to stay away from coastal regions.

Storm surges of up to four metres (12 feet) were predicted for some parts of the Pacific, after the 8.8 quake struck off Russia's Kamchatka peninsula.

The tsunami warnings caused widespread disruption. Peru closed 65 of its 121 Pacific ports and authorities on Maui cancelled flights to and from the Hawaiian island.

But fears of a catastrophe were not realised, with country a...