MENDOCINO CO., 7/29/25 – An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russian’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in a series of warnings from the U.S. Tsunami Warning System for the Mendocino Coast.
The National Weather Service reports that the tsunami will begin impacting Fort Bragg and the coast around 11:50 p.m. with waves as high as 1.4 feet expected. The tsunami will impact the coast up to 9 hours. Avoid the water – stay off beaches and out of harbors.
Here’s the latest.
Local law enforcement, elected officials and weather groups are warning of the expected impacts of the tsunami and how residents can be safe.
Fifth District Supervisor Ted Williams confirmed that the Board of Supervisors, Mendocino County Office of Emergency Services, and public safety agencies held a meeting Tuesday regarding the tsunami’s possible impacts.
While there are no mandatory evacuations in place, the Fort Bragg Police Department and Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office asks people to stay out of the water and off the beaches.
The Police Department is asking people living or camping in low-lying areas to monitor local news in case the advisory is changed to a warning – meaning the tsunami is imminent and expected to make a significant, dangerous impact.
The Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group called the current threat “not our worst case tsunami.” The tsunami is expected to only flood low-lying areas near beaches and harbors, especially at high tide.
“Don’t go to the beach to look for a tsunami,” the group said. “It will be dark and there won’t be anything to see. The best way to watch a tsunami is online – click on any of the tide gauges at https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tsunami/“
While Mendocino County remains under a Tsunami Advisory, part of Humboldt County has been upgraded to a Tsunami Warning by the Tsunami Warning System.
The warning was issued around 8:30 p.m. The National Weather Service advises that anyone in a coastal area from the Oregon-California state border to Cape Mendocino move inland to higher ground.
Impacted areas include Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Arcata and Trinidad. The weather service forecasts 1-2 foot tsunami waves in these areas.
Del Norte County’s coastal areas including Crescent City, are expected to see waves of 3-5 feet. The tsunami is expected to start around 11:50 p.m.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issuing a Tsunami Advisory for the California Coast around Tuesday evening.
The National Weather Service is estimating that the tsunami will reach Fort Bragg around 11:50 p.m. Tuesday night. The advisory includes the entire Mendocino Coast, from Gualala to Westport.
Waves up to 1.4 feet are expected along the coast. The duration could last up to 9 hours.
The National Weather Service asks that people located in coastal areas move off beaches and out of harbors and marinas. Do not go to the coast to watch the tsunami.
According to the weather service, a Tsunami Advisory means that a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or dangerous waves is expected or already occurring.
Waves may already be getting increasingly large or high right now, the weather service said. “Areas in the advisory should not expect widespread inundation. Tsunamis are a series of waves dangerous many hours after initial arrival time,” the weather service said, “The first wave may not be the largest.”
An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russian’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday afternoon and resulted in the U.S. Tsunami Warning System issuing a Tsunami Watch for the California Coast around 5:54 p.m. Tuesday evening.
The earthquake was first reported as 8.7 by the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS increased it to 8.8 Tuesday evening.
A tsunami can result in widespread, flooding of beaches, harbors and coastal areas.
Tsunami alerts warnings can be monitored at https://tsunami.gov/.
