On Tuesday, tsunami waves resulting from seismic activity in the Pacific Ocean made their way across the ocean, first reaching Japan’s Hokkaido and Russia’s Kuril Islands, before rapidly approaching Hawaii and Alaska.
In response to the threat, tsunami warnings were issued for Hawaii, Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, and parts of Northern California, while a less severe tsunami advisory was put in place for most of the West Coast of the U.S.
Early Wednesday morning, the first waves hit Alaska and Hawaii, prompting officials and residents to brace for potential impacts across Western U.S. states.
In Hawaii, the situation escalated around 7:20 p.m. local time when receding waters were observed in Kauai’s Hanalei Bay and at Haleiwa Boat Harbor on Oahu’s North Shore.
Just ten minutes later, the initial waves arrived.
Waves, measuring up to 4 feet, were reported crashing into the shores of Haleiwa, while Hanalei Bay experienced water levels rising by 2.8 feet, and Honolulu recorded a rise of 2.3 feet above sea level.
At Midway Atoll, the last buoy measurement site located in the central Pacific before reaching Hawaii, significant sea level rises were noted, indicating potential for even higher waves upon reaching Hawaiian shores.
In anticipation of the tsunami, residents began evacuating coastal areas on Tuesday afternoon, heeding officials’ warnings of possible waves reaching heights of up to 10 feet.
Traffic quickly clogged mountain roads as locals raced to find higher ground.
Major airports in Hawaii faced flight cancellations due to the developing emergency, resulting in around 200 passengers finding shelter at Maui’s Kahului Airport terminal, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green took decisive action by declaring a state of emergency and urged residents to take the threat seriously, highlighting that waves could lead to drowning, power outages, and uprooting of trees.
On social media, President Donald Trump encouraged Americans to “STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”
As of late Tuesday, Hawaii had not yet reported any damage from the tsunami waves.
Governor Green reassured the public that there was “no wave of consequence,” but noted that the state remained “at least two to three hours” from being in the clear.
Chip McCreery, director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, indicated that the tsunami waves had likely peaked on Tuesday evening.
In Alaska, a tsunami warning—the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s most severe alert—was issued for the western Aleutian Islands, from Samalga Pass to Attu, along with the Pribilof Islands.
Forecast models suggested that waves in certain areas could surpass 5 feet.
At approximately 5:15 p.m. PT on Tuesday, a tidal surge of 1 foot was recorded near the volcanic island of Amchitka in Alaska, while further local reports from coastal towns have yet to surface.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed later in the evening that waves measuring about a foot tall had been observed in Alaska.
Meanwhile, the U.S. West Coast was preparing for possible tsunami impacts, with advisories issued for California, Oregon, Washington, and the U.S. territory of Guam.
The National Tsunami Warning Center indicated that most coastal areas on the West Coast could expect wave heights of a foot or less; however, some locations might see much higher surges.
Port Orford, Oregon, may experience waves up to 2 feet high, while Crescent City, California is anticipating waves between 3.1 and 5.7 feet.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management cautioned that even if the first waves hitting the coast are not the largest, conditions could still be hazardous.
Further south, Port San Luis could see waves ranging from 1.7 to 3.2 feet.
San Francisco officials have warned of powerful and dangerous currents likely affecting beaches, harbors, marina docks, and finger piers along the shoreline.
Emergency management authorities are closely monitoring this evolving situation and assessing the need for evacuations as conditions develop.
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