Officials upgraded a tsunami alert for California\u2019s North Coast, issuing a more severe \u201cwarning\u201d in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, with the worst potential damage predicted in Crescent City, a historical tsunami hot spot. <\/p>\n
A tsunami warning is the top level of the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center three-tier alert system \u2014 watch, advisory and warning \u2014 and means that residents are urged to move away from the coast immediately. A warning was also in place across all of Hawaii, where residents rushed to evacuate inland, as well as in Guam and along the western section of Alaska\u2019s Aleutian Islands.<\/p>\n
The rest of the California coast remains under a tsunami advisory, meaning that strong strong currents and dangerous waves are expected and that people should stay off of beaches.<\/p>\n
Should a tsunami materialize in California, it would hit the North Coast at 11:50 p.m. and, by 1 a.m., reach the Los Angeles area. The impact in L.A. is predicted to be much smaller, with waves of less than 1 foot, according to the warning center. <\/p>\n
The tsunami could last as long as 30 hours in Crescent City, where waves of up to 4.8 feet are predicted. Crescent City\u2019s harbor was destroyed and one man died in a 2011 tsunami, which was generated from a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Japan.<\/p>\n
Another area that could see significant tsunami is Port San Luis in San Luis Obispo County, where a tsunami of 2 to 3.7 feet could hit. Waves of 1.3 feet and under were predicted for the rest of the California coastline.<\/p>\n
Where are California\u2019s tsunami hazard zones?<\/p>\n
Tsunami hazard zones can extend to bayside and riverside areas relatively far from the Pacific coast.<\/p>\n
Zoom in and move the map to see the state\u2019s tsunami hazard areas<\/b><\/p>\n
Tsunami alerts were issued Tuesday afternoon after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia, sending powerful waves slamming into buildings in Siberia and northeastern Japan.<\/p>\n
According to the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center, alerts are in effect for the entire West Coast, including Washington and Oregon, as well as portions of British Columbia and Alaska. <\/p>\n
The earthquake struck off of the eastern coast of Russia\u2019s Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Siberia at 9:25 a.m. Wednesday local Russian time \u2014 which is 4:25 p.m. Tuesday PDT \u2014 generating strong tremors that injured several people, according to reporting by Reuters<\/a>. <\/p>\n A tsunami of 10 to 13 feet hit the Kamchatka Peninsula in Siberia within hours of the earthquake, damaging buildings, including a kindergarten, according to Reuters. Japanese officials advised people to evacuate tsunami-prone areas along the country\u2019s east coast, warning that waves of up to 10 feet could strike the coastline.<\/p>\n Hawaii News Now reported congested roadways as people heeded evacuation plans, and some were seen stocking up at Costco ahead of the expected arrival of the tsunami, which could come as early as 7:17 p.m. local time, or 10:17 p.m. PDT. Southwest rerouted a flight from LAX to Honolulu, returning to LAX due to the tsunami warning.<\/p>\n