After one of the strongest earthquakes in recorded history, a magnitude 8.8 temblor struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29, tsunami waves reached Hawaii and the West Coast.
The event triggered alerts across the Pacific, Alaska, and the entire U.S. West Coast.
Although waves began arriving in Hawaii after 7 p.m. local time, initial observations were heartening to officials bracing for major damage. By 10:45 p.m.,
the Tsunami Warning System had downgraded the risk level for the state from a warning to an advisory, with no major reports of damage.
“So far we have not seen a wave of consequence, which is a great relief to us,” Governor Josh Green said at a news conference.
Tsunami waves began to arrive at Crescent City, California and Humboldt Bay overnight.
The weather service in Eureka posted on X at 3:47 a.m. ET on July 30: “Waves will continue to build in through the night and will become more dangerous as we approach high tide. Stay away from beaches.
” Crescent City is located in an area under tsunami warning and is considered more vulnerable to tsunamis than any other city on the West Coast based on previous events, with waves getting amplified in the area.
