Topline
The tsunami waves hit Pacific coastlines across Japan, Hawaii and parts of California early on Wednesday, although no major damage was reported in Hawaii, hours after a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.
Oahu residents evacuate Ewa Beach to the side of Kunia Road due to the threat of tsunami in Kapolei, ... More
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency announced: “The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has downgraded the Tsunami Warning for the state of Hawaii to a Tsunami Advisory,” a few hours after waves triggered by the earthquake first hit the state’s coastline.
At a press conference announcing the downgrade officials said there have been no reports of “large damage” from the waves and that those who had evacuated could return to their homes based on local advisories.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning that covers the entirety of the country’s eastern seaboard.
Tsunami waves measuring above 4 feet were recorded in the coastal town of Kuji in eastern Japan, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported, adding that the tsunami threat is expected to remain for a day.
The Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said the first tsunami waves began “impacting Hawaii” at around 8:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
The National Weather Service also noted that tsunami waves have been detected along the coasts of California, warning that the roughly 5 feet high waves detected in the graphs only show the “observed arrival of the initial tsunami wave, NOT the peak magnitude.”
A tsunami warning is in effect the coastal area along the Oregon-California border including Cape Mendocino, California.
Tsunami watches and advisories are in effect all across the U.S. West Coast, but the National Weather Service issued a warning, saying: “Tsunami is a series of wave carrying a large extra mass of water to our coast. This will NOT be a single wave. Do NOT try to go to the coast to take photos.”
Russian state media reported flooding caused in tsunami waves in parts of Kuril Islands in the country’s far east region—which is also a disputed territory claimed by Japan.
This screen shot shows a tsunami alert on a mobile photo in Honolulu.
According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center’s latest update, the initial waves that hit Hawaii ranged between 0.4 and 4 feet. The updated noted that tsunami is a series of waves and “The danger may persist for many more hours as waves activity continues. Tsunami waves efficiently wrap around islands so all shores are at risk no matter which direction they face.” In a press conference, the Hawaii Governor said the first tsunami wave that passed through Midway Atoll, which is located around 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu, measured 6 feet “from peak to trough.” Green said a tsunami of that size would be like a “three-foot wave riding on top of the ocean,” although the waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller. A wave of that size could cause people to drown, move cars and throw fences around, he added. Green then warned residents: “You need to expect that there will be flooding on the islands and it will be imminent after the wave hits,” as he urged them to heed evacuation orders immediately. An earlier forecast by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, the tsunami waves could reach as high as 10 feet (3 meters) along the coast of Northwestern Hawaii. Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said the “Initial effects of tsunami waves are expected to occur on the Kauai coast, with effects to Hawai'i Island beginning 20-30 minutes later. These massive waves can wrap around the island shore, so impacts may occur at any point along the coast.” The state’s Department of Transportation noted that all flight from Kahului International Airport have been cancelled and passengers are sheltering in the terminal.
The Tsunami warnings in Japan covered its entire Pacific Coast. “Tsunamis can strike repeatedly over a long period of time. The waves that come after the first one may be larger, so it is important to continue evacuating until the tsunami warning or advisory is lifted,” the Japanese Meteorological Agency said. In response to the tsunami alert, Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency issued an evacuation advisory that covered more than 1.9 million people across 21 prefectures across the country.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the the powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake’s epicenter was located just off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia. The is no official word on the number of casualties from the quake, but state media reported that around 2,700 were evacuated from the Kuril Islands in Russia’s far east due to a tsunami threat.
The 8.8 magnitude temblor is the biggest earthquake recorded by the USGS since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan, which caused a major tsunami and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump wrote: “Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii...STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”
Tsunami Reaches Hawaii and California After Biggest Quake Since 2011 (New York Times)
Tsunami warning issued for Japan's Pacific coast, 1.3-meter wave observed (NHK)