A magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29, triggering tsunami alerts for the entire U.S. West Coast and prompting evacuation warnings in Hawaii, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The earthquake was recorded at 7:24 p.m. ET, about 78 miles east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said in its updated assessment. The agency said the quake was shallow, at a depth of about 12 miles.
A tsunami warning was in place for Hawaii and along Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands. A tsunami could cause damage along coastlines of all islands in Hawaii, the weather service said, adding "urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property."
A tsunami is a long series of waves that may extensively flood coastal area and present dangers that could continue for many hours after the initial waves arrive. All shores are at risk in Hawaii no matter which direction they face.
Residents in the Aleutian Islands were advised to move out of the water and away from beaches, harbors, marines and inlets. Tsunamis can generate strong waves and currents, with waves that may last up to 45 minutes as it encroaches and recedes, the warning center stated. Coasts facing all directions are threatened because the waves can wrap around islands and headlands and into bays.
The warning center initially issued a tsunami watch for the West Coast, including southern Alaska, British Columbia, Washington state, Oregon, and California, including Los Angeles Harbor.
A tsunami warning was issued for Hawaii, according to the state's Department of Emergency Management. The agency estimated that the first tsunami wave will arrive at 7:17 p.m., Hawaii Standard Time.
"A tsunami has been generated that could cause damage along coastlines of all islands in the state of Hawaii," the agency said in a bulletin. "Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property."
The Honolulu Department of Emergency Management called for the evacuation of some coastal areas in Hawaii. "Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected," the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said on X.
A buoy south-southwest of Attu, Alaska detected a tsunami wave of 3 feet, the weather service reported. The measurements from DART buoys are from the deep ocean and are generally much smaller than the wave would be when it arrives at the coast, the weather service said.
In San Francisco and Monterey, California, the weather service expects to see tsunami heights of less than one feet, but advises it could present strong and hazardous currents.
"Move off the beach and out of harbors and marinas," the weather service said. "Do not go to the coast to watch the tsunami."
In San Diego, the weather service said the area should not expect widespread inundation, but advised people in coastal areas under the advisory to stay off the beach and out of harbors and marinas.
"Dangerous and powerful currents are still expected within the ocean and along the coast," said Dial Hoang, a weather service meteorologist in San Francisco. "In 2011, a man near Crescent City died after he was swept out to sea while trying to photograph the tsunami coming in."
The highest peak wave is forecast for Crescent City, California, where the height could peak at between 2.9 feet and 5.4 feet, with tsunami waves lasting for 36 hours. In Port San Luis, California, the waves could peak at 2 to 3.8 feet and last for 24 hours, the weather service warned.
Possible tsunami start times stretch from 8:20 p.m. local time in Kodiak, Alaska, southward along the coast to La Jolla, California, where tsunami activity would be expected to begin by 1:15 a.m. local time.
