California has experienced a “rapid and damaging surge” in water levels following the arrival of tsunami waves along its coastline.
The Los Angeles branch of the National Weather Service (NWS) reported that its Port San Luis gauge, located just north of Los Angeles, recorded a sharp rise in water levels “in just a few minutes,” shifting from low tide to high tide.
“Do not return to inundated areas,” the NWS warned, “as waters will recede but may return multiple times over the next 24 hours. The first wave may not be the largest.”
Initial measurements from the National Tsunami Warning Center indicated that Crescent City, located approximately 500 miles north of Los Angeles, recorded waves exceeding one metre in height.
In Hawaii, responses varied. Some residents and visitors opted to remain in tall buildings, while others moved to higher ground. Authorities encouraged “vertical evacuation” where feasible—advising individuals to relocate to upper floors of multi-storey buildings.
At the Alohilani Resort, holidaymakers waited on balconies, watching the ocean as the waves arrived.
Tsunami waves have also reached Washington state, the U.S. National Weather Service confirmed.
The waves—triggered by the earlier 8.8 magnitude earthquake—first made landfall in Hawaii, then struck California, as detailed in our 10:49 a.m. bulletin.
Further north along the U.S. West Coast, Washington state has now also been impacted. Tide gauges recorded tsunami activity in both La Push and Westport, coastal towns located west of Seattle.
NWS Seattle echoed nationwide advisories, urging residents to stay away from shorelines and coastal waters until further notice.
In Asia, both Japan and the Philippines have downgraded their tsunami warnings.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency reduced its tsunami warning to an advisory for the Pacific coast south of Fukushima, although alerts remain in place further north.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology announced the cancellation of its tsunami advisory.
In a statement, the agency said:
“Based on available data from our sea level monitoring stations facing the Philippine Sea, no significant sea level disturbances nor destructive tsunami waves have been recorded since the 07:25 AM earthquake up until this cancellation.
“With this, any effects due to minor sea level disturbances have largely passed, and therefore, DOST-PHIVOLCS has now cancelled the recommendations issued for this event.”
These developments reflect a broader trend seen in multiple countries that initially anticipated severe tsunami impacts. Notably, Hawaii has already lifted its own evacuation orders.
A magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, damaging buildings and generating a tsunami of up to 4 metres (13 feet) that prompted warnings and evacuations stretching across the Pacific Ocean.
Several people were injured in the remote Russian region, while much of Japan’s eastern seaboard – devastated by a powerful earthquake and tsunami in 2011 – was ordered to evacuate.
“Today’s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,” Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.
A tsunami with a height of 3-4 metres (10-13 feet) was recorded in parts of Kamchatka, said Sergei Lebedev, regional minister for emergency situations, urging people to move away from the shoreline.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and was centred 119 km (74 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000. It revised the magnitude up from 8.0 earlier, and reported a strong aftershock of magnitude 6.9 soon after.
Japan’s weather agency upgraded its warning, saying it expected tsunami waves of up to 3 metres (10 feet) to reach large areas of its coast.
Tsunami alarms sounded in coastal towns across Japan’s Pacific coast with authorities urging people to seek higher ground.
Footage on public broadcaster NHK showed scores of people in the northern island of Hokkaido on the roof of a building, sheltering under tents from the beating sun, as fishing boats left harbours to avoid potential damage from the incoming waves.
Workers evacuated the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, where a meltdown following the 2011 tsunami caused a radioactive disaster, operator TEPCO said.
Only small waves were recorded and Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said there were no injuries or damage reported so far, and no irregularities at any nuclear plants.A contour shake map of magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula
WARNINGS ACROSS THE PACIFIC
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System also issued a warning of “hazardous tsunami waves” within the next three hours.
Waves reaching more than 3 metres were possible along some coasts of Russia and Ecuador, while waves of 1-3 metres were possible in Japan, Hawaii, Chile and the Solomon Islands, it said. Smaller waves were possible along coastlines across much of the Pacific, including the U.S. West Coast.
“Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii,” U.S. President Donald Trump said in a social media post.
“A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit tsunami.gov/ for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”
Hawaii ordered evacuations from some coastal areas. “Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,” the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said on X.
The Hawaii warning urged residents of low-lying areas to either move to higher ground or to the fourth floor of a building.
A resident in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky said the shaking started slowly but built up and rumbled for several minutes.
“Considering its strength and how long it lasted … I decided to leave the building,” said Yaroslav, 25.
“The building is very flimsy and light, which might be why it survived. But it felt like the walls could collapse any moment. The shaking lasted continuously for at least 3 minutes.”
Several people sought medical assistance following the quake, Oleg Melnikov, regional health minister, told Russia’s TASS state news agency.
“Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal,” Melnikov said.
Russia’s Ministry for Emergency Services said on Telegram that the port in the Sakhalin town of Severo-Kurilsk and a fish processing plant there were partially flooded by a tsunami. The population was evacuated.
While a kindergarten was also damaged, most buildings withstood the quake and no serious injuries or fatalities had been reported, the ministry added.
‘RING OF FIRE’
Kamchatka and Russia’s Far East sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The Russian Academy of Sciences said it was the strongest quake to hit the region since 1952.
“However, due to certain characteristics of the epicentre, the shaking intensity was not as high … as one might expect from such a magnitude,” said Danila Chebrov, director of the Kamchatka Branch of the Geophysical Service, on Telegram.
“Aftershocks are currently ongoing … Their intensity will remain fairly high. However, stronger tremors are not expected in the near future. The situation is under control.”
