Tsunami hits U.S. after major quake in Russia; Southern California feels ripples across Pacific

Tsunami waves have begun lapping the shores of the United States following a powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Russia’s far eastern Severo-Kurilsk district late Tuesday. While the impacts in Southern California have so far been described as “on the weaker side,” meteorologists warn that the situation remains fluid and potentially dangerous.

Dr. Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles/Oxnard office, reported surging waters along west- and northwest-facing beaches, including Port San Luis, Ventura Harbor, and Santa Monica. “We’re getting a lighter version in terms of impacts,” Cohen said, “but there is potential for very minor inundation near the beaches and very significant and powerful rip currents.”

Cohen urged residents to remain alert. “It’s still a situation where everybody needs to be very vigilant, remain at a high state of readiness, as we head through the daytime hours,” he said. “While the situation may be improving to some extent, we’re not out of the woods just yet.”

The quake’s epicenter near Severo-Kurilsk prompted a state of emergency in the Russian district, where tsunami waves tore boats from moorings and swept away storage containers. Videos from the scene show widespread coastal damage.

The seismic event triggered tsunami warnings and advisories across the Pacific. Multiple countries across the Pacific region issued tsunami warnings and advisories. In Japan, over 2 million people were ordered to evacuate as waves reaching up to 4.2 feet struck the eastern coast of Hokkaido. Although some warnings were later downgraded to advisories, alerts remain active in both Hokkaido and the Tohoku region. The Philippines initially issued a tsunami advisory, which was subsequently canceled. Indonesia also issued warnings, with coastal monitoring still ongoing. In French Polynesia, authorities warned of waves as high as 13 feet expected to hit the Marquesas Islands overnight. Tsunami advisories for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands were canceled by Wednesday morning. Chile’s National Tsunami Alarm System declared a threat to the entire coastline, prompting widespread concern. Peru’s navy is closely monitoring the situation, while Ecuador anticipates waves up to 4.6 feet reaching the Galapagos Islands by mid-morning. Across Mexico and Central America, alerts have been issued from Ensenada down to Panama, as coastal regions brace for potential impacts.

In Hawaii, one of the Big Island’s major airports was temporarily closed Tuesday evening to allow residents from a nearby beach community to use the runway for evacuation.

As tsunami waves continue to ripple across the Pacific, authorities worldwide are urging coastal residents to remain cautious. The National Weather Service emphasized that even minor surges can pose serious risks, especially with strong rip currents and repeated wave activity.