Tsunami waves hit US after 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia

(NewsNation) — North America's West Coast — including California, Alaska, Hawaii and Canada — is bracing for much strong waves aft an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Russia connected Tuesday afternoon.

The quake was one of the strongest ever recorded, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Several aftershocks were besides recorded, inundating Japan with tsunami waves and prompting evacuations and warnings crossed the Pacific.

Guam saw waves up to a ft high, per the Guam Office of Civil Defense, and the National Weather Service said the archetypal waves deed Washington authorities astir 1 a.m.

While the tsunami waves stay a menace to coastal areas, leaders successful California and Hawaii eased backmost their warnings aboriginal Wednesday.

California's coasts stay nether tsunami alert

The tsunami reached the shores of bluish California by 1 a.m. section time, the National Weather Service reported. As it continues southward connected Wednesday, Los Angeles is expecting a question surge of little than 1 foot.

Originally a "Tsunami Watch," California's alert was upgraded to a "Tsunami Advisory" conscionable aft 7 p.m. connected Tuesday, NewsNation Los Angeles affiliate KTLA reported.

Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, on with the full West Coast, stay nether the advisory.

The NWS forecasts the largest waves northbound of Los Angeles.

“We are cautiously monitoring the concern for ports and harbors northbound of Point Conception arsenic tsunami waves volition apt beryllium larger successful that area,” the NWS said successful a station connected X. “Go distant from the coast, oregon if successful a boat, spell retired to heavy water!”

No evacuation orders were issued for Southern California coastal communities, though the tsunami advisory remained successful effect until further notice.

Hawaiian Islands nether tsunami advisory

The Hawaiian Islands person made it "past the worst part" successful the aftermath of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake, said Chip McCreery, manager of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Minor flooding has been reported connected Hawaii's Big Island, but "no large damage" has been seen, the state's associated accusation halfway said Wednesday.

Within hours of a tsunami informing issued Tuesday, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency downgraded the menace level.

"Unusually beardown currents and waves inactive imaginable adjacent to the enactment and successful harbors," Civil Defense Hawaii wrote connected X. "Officials are assessing harm but person NOT reopened coastal evacuation areas. Stay wide of these areas."

Officials successful Hawaii said residents who had evacuated could instrumentality to their homes, but warned them to support an oculus retired for damage.

Russia declares authorities of exigency aft 8.8 magnitude earthquake

Russian authorities declared a authorities of exigency connected the Kuril Islands and successful Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the main metropolis connected the Kamchatka peninsula.

They earlier reported that respective tsunami waves flooded the sportfishing larboard of Severo-Kurilsk, the main metropolis connected the islands, and chopped powerfulness supplies to the area. Russia’s Oceanography Institute said tsunami waves that deed the metropolis topped 19 feet.

The 8.8 magnitude quake was among the 4 strongest earthquakes this century, and among the 8 strongest since 1900, according to the USGS.

The earthquake occurred on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ringing of seismic faults astir the Pacific Ocean wherever astir of the world’s earthquakes occur.

NewsNation affiliates KTLA, KHON and the Associated Press contributed to this report.