Tsunami alerts blanketed the West Coast and Alaska
Tsunami alerts blanketed the West Coast and Alaska after one of the strongest earthquakes in recorded history.
Tsunami waves reached Hawaii and the West Coast after a historically powerful earthquake struck off Russia’s coastline, but evacuation orders and an advisory in Hawaii were later lifted and beaches in Los Angeles County reopened on Wednesday as the threat to U.S. shores eased.
Russian officials reported little damage from the 8.8-magnitude temblor on Tuesday, the shaker creating tsunami waves that began arriving in Hawaii after 7 p.m. local time. Authorities braced for the possibility of major damage − tsunamis can cause a long series of waves, flood coastal areas and present other dangers for hours.
Less than four hours later, however, the risk to Hawaii was downgraded from a tsunami warning to an advisory, which was dropped in the morning. There were no reports of serious damage. Coastal areas of California, Oregon and Washington also canceled their advisories.
State emergency management officials in Hawaii said widespread flooding was not expected. But they urged residents to “remain cautious in or near the water. … Stay away from beaches, shorelines, and out of the ocean.”
Chile and Colombia issued evacuation orders for their Pacific coastline, and Chile also extended the precautions to its Eastern Island, about 2,300 miles off the mainland. Likewise, Ecuador ordered evacuations for parts of its Galapagos Islands.
Automated alerts for the Axial Seamount, the underwater volcano off the Oregon coast, were triggered by the giant earthquake and subsequent tsunami. It was a false alarm. The volcano did not erupt, and it hasn’t since April 2015.
The Marquesas Islands, part of French Polynesia in the South Pacific, were hit by smaller waves than previously feared. Officials canceled a tsunami alert.
California, Los Angeles beaches reopened and a tsunami advisory was canceled for San Diego and Orange counties. Later in the day, an advisory for most of the state’s coastline was lifted as well. However, the portion from the Oregon border south to the county line between Humboldt and Del Norte remained under an advisory.
The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles said strong currents will continue along the state’s coast, including those parts not under a tsunami advisory, at least through Wednesday. Although widespread inundation isn’t expected, localized damage at harbors is possible because of the water surging in and out.
Port San Luis in the central coast, including Avila Beach, will be of “particular concern.”
Tsunami waves began arriving overnight at Crescent City and Humboldt Bay on California’s northern coast. Crescent City is located along a stretch of the West Coast considered most vulnerable to tsunamis based on previous events, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The waves get amplified in the area and are higher in the city’s harbor than at other locations along the coast.
“A Tsunami Advisory is in effect for coastal Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino Counties,” the weather service in Eureka posted on X July 30. “Tsunami waves of 1-3 ft are still … observed early this morning. Avoid beaches and harbors.”
Initial tsunami warnings have been cancelled or downgraded in much of Alaska, but an advisory still exists along the state’s Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula along an over 1,000-mile stretch from Attu Island to Chignik Bay, according to the National Weather Service in Anchorage as of 2:45 a.m. local time.
Currents at beaches and harbors, marinas, bays and inlets can be especially dangerous in the wake of tsunami waves and the danger can last for days, forecasters said.
Tsunami waves have been recorded at gauges along the Aleutian Islands, with the highest wave of 2.7 feet near Adak Island at about 10:21 p.m. local time on July 29.
“Impacts from Tsunamis may continue for many hours to days after arrival of the first wave,” forecasters said.
Tsunami waves in Japan arrived Wednesday afternoon local time on the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu, the country’s meteorological agency said. All workers were evacuated from the country’s Fukushima nuclear power plants, and the discharge of radioactive wastewater from the plant was suspended.
The National Weather Service said the first tsunami waves reached the California coast overnight at Crescent City and Humboldt Bay and were expected to build and become more dangerous during high tide.
