The entire West Coast of the United States is under a tsunami advisory on Tuesday due to a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.
A tsunami advisory issued by the National Weather Service went into effect from the California-Mexico border all the way north to the British Columbia-Alaska border shortly after the earthquake struck at around 4:30 p.m. PDT.
Officials advise the tsunami could arrive along the California coast at around 1 a.m. and persist until 10 a.m. Residents are urged to leave beaches, marinas and harbors until the advisory has been lifted.
Tsunami alerts explained
The National Weather Service has a four-tier alert system for tsunamis, which are issued in the event that the powerful series of waves do make landfall in the aftermath of an earthquake.
- The most severe alert is a tsunami warning, meaning that widespread flooding is expected and powerful currents could last in the area for several days. In this instance people are urged to seek higher ground and immediately leave low-lying areas, especially those at or below sea level.
- A tsunami advisory is the second tier in the tsunami alert system, and still advises that strong currents and waves could bring danger to people in or near large bodies of water, as well as flooding to beaches or harbors. People are advised to stay out of water and be vigilant for updates from local government officials.
- The third level of alert is a tsunami watch, meaning that a distant tsunami could be possible and that residents in the affected area should be prepared to act at a moment’s notice.
- The final tier is an information statement, which means that there is no distinct threat from a very distant event that occurred and that people can “relax.”
Tsunami safety tips
In the wake of the tsunami alerts being issued, NWS officials shared a slew of tips for people living in coastal areas. Boaters are advised to leave the harbor and seek higher ground, and people are urged to leave beaches, marinas and harbors.
Here are tsunami safety tips for those in coastal areas. Boaters may need to leave harbor and go to a depth of at least 50 to 1000 fathoms. People on land should avoid harbors & marinas, get off and away from the beach. #CAWX pic.twitter.com/wLnQZmIpp7
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) July 30, 2025
Dean FioresiDean Fioresi is a web producer for CBS Los Angeles. He covers breaking news throughout Southern California. When he’s not writing about local events, he enjoys focusing on sports and entertainment.
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