Following a powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake off the Pacific coast of Russia, the US National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a tsunami watch for large parts of California’s coastline, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Bay Area.
The NWS Tsunami Warning Center said that the first tsunami waves could reach parts of the California coast as early as 11:50 PM local time on July 29 (12:20 PM IST on July 30).
Areas Under Watch And Estimated Wave Arrival Times:
Officials have released an estimated timeline for when waves could strike specific locations along the West Coast. Here’s what the forecast looks like:
- Fort Bragg – 11:50 PM PDT, July 29
- Crescent City – 11:55 PM PDT, July 29
- Monterey – 12:15 AM PDT, July 30
- Port San Luis – 12:35 AM PDT, July 30
- San Francisco – 12:40 AM PDT, July 30
- Santa Barbara – 12:50 AM PDT, July 30
- Los Angeles Harbor – 1:05 AM PDT, July 30
- Newport Beach – 1:10 AM PDT, July 30
- Oceanside & La Jolla – 1:15 AM PDT, July 30
The NWS has urged people along the coast to remain alert and await further updates. So far, no evacuation orders have been announced, but authorities are monitoring the situation closely in coordination with federal emergency services.
What triggered the alert?
The tsunami watch follows an undersea 8.7-magnitude earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula—part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for its high seismic activity. Similar alerts have also been issued for parts of Japan and Alaska.