A tsunami advisory for the Oregon and Washington coast has been canceled following a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday.
This earthquake ranks among the strongest recorded in history and sparked tsunami warnings across a broad swath of the Pacific, including Hawaii, North and Central America, and Pacific islands extending toward New Zealand, as well as the U.S. West Coast from Alaska to the Mexican border.
As early as Wednesday morning, wave heights observed along the Oregon and Washington coast have remained well below a foot, according to Pacific County Emergency Management officials.
KGW reached out to the National Weather Service (NWS), which confirmed that sea levels had risen by only 1 to 3 inches. While the immediate threat appears diminished, NWS emphasized the unpredictability of ocean currents and potential tsunami activity continuing in the aftermath.
A tsunami warning is still in effect for parts of California, specifically from Humboldt/Del Norte to the Oregon-California border; however, this has now been downgraded to an advisory. Crescent City, located in northern California, recorded water levels reaching up to 4 feet above normal, as confirmed by KGW meteorologist Rod Hill.
Initially, a tsunami watch was issued for the West Coast, but as concerns about rising sea levels were assessed, it was adjusted to an advisory. In comments made by Treena Jensen, a meteorologist with the NWS, there was no immediate concern that conditions would escalate to a warning status for Oregon or Washington.
Time estimates for wave arrivals indicated that coastal areas such as Long Beach, Wash., and various towns in Oregon—including Port Orford, Charleston, Brookings, Seaside, and Newport—would experience waves varying from less than a foot to 2 feet. The waves expected at Long Beach and Newport were anticipated to be minimal, while Seaside could see waves as high as 2 feet.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (ODEM) anticipated small tsunami waves along Oregon’s coastline with heights generally ranging from 1 to 2 feet. The NWS also provided estimated arrival times for specific areas to help residents prepare.
During the advisory period, officials advised individuals to steer clear of beaches, harbors, and marinas and to remain cautious of strong rip currents.
Tsunamis are known to come in surges or in a series of waves, which can persist for hours or even days following the initial event. Notably, the first wave may not always be the largest, and each wave can last anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes, as detailed by the NWS.
Signs of a potential tsunami warning include a rapidly receding shoreline, unusual waves and sounds, and strong currents.
The earthquake occurred at 4:25 p.m. PDT and was centered off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, with its depth measured at 12.9 miles.
Initially reported with a magnitude of 8.0, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) quickly revised the estimate to 8.7, and finally to 8.8. The agency classified the seismic event as a thrust event, which led to the uplift of the sea floor and consequently generated the tsunami.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu noted that the tsunami produced by the earthquake could potentially cause damage to the coastlines of all Hawaiian islands. In response, the Coast Guard mandated evacuations for harbors and was seen closing ports to inbound vessels. Furthermore, Alaska Airlines took preventive measures by pausing and diverting flights headed to Hawaii.
Reports from Alaskan communities, including Amchitka and Adak, indicated that wave heights remained under a foot above tides.
In Japan, footage from NHK public television showed white waves reaching the shore in areas like Hokkaido, Ibaraki, and Chiba, while a tsunami measuring 1.6 feet was detected at Ishinomaki port in northern Japan.
Along the Kamchatka Peninsula, the regions closest to the earthquake epicenter experienced damage and evacuations due to the tsunami, although no serious injuries were reported.
Authorities have issued warnings regarding possible dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents, urging residents to move to higher ground or further inland.
While the advisory remains, updates continue to be monitored. People should remain informed through resources like weather.gov and tsunami.gov and can sign up for local emergency notifications through OR-Alert.
image source from：kgw
