San Francisco, California – Strong tsunami currents and surges are expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska coasts through Wednesday after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula late Tuesday afternoon. Emergency officials are urging anyone in affected areas to stay off beaches, out of harbors and marinas, and away from the water until further notice.
According to the National Tsunami Warning Center, tsunami advisories remain in effect from the California-Mexico border north to Cape Mendocino, up the Oregon and Washington coasts to the British Columbia-Alaska border, and across coastal Alaska from Chignik Bay to Attu. The first waves reached the West Coast late Tuesday night, with the advisory likely to persist into Wednesday as multiple waves continue. While no widespread inundation is expected, strong, unpredictable currents can endanger swimmers, boaters, and anyone near shore.
Specific arrival times included Fort Bragg, California at 11:50 p.m., San Francisco at 12:40 a.m., Santa Barbara at 12:45 a.m., and Los Angeles Harbor at 1:00 a.m. Tsunami surges also reached Tofino, BC at 11:30 p.m., Newport, Oregon at 11:55 p.m., and Tacoma, Washington at 2:00 a.m. Wednesday. Coastal towns like Brookings, Seaside, Westport, and La Push are also at risk for hazardous conditions.
Residents should avoid non-essential travel near beaches, secure loose boats, and remain tuned to updates from local officials and tsunami.gov. Past events have shown that dangerous currents can persist for hours after the first wave.
The advisory will stay in effect until further notice. Additional alerts or updates are possible as new information becomes available.
