Tsunami waves hit Japan, Hawaii, Alaska after massive 8.8 earthquake off Russia
The risk of a major tsunami had passed. The first waves began hitting the U.S. West Coast early Wednesday morning.
Surveillance video recorded an earthquake striking as doctors were performing surgery on a cancer patient on July 30.
A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings for parts of Japan, Alaska and Hawaii, with alerts also issued for the United States West Coast and Guam.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck around 8:25 a.m. Japan time, about 85 miles off the Kamchatka coast, at a depth of nearly 12 miles. It was followed by aftershocks of 6.3 and 6.9 magnitude. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed a tsunami had been generated, warning of potentially destructive waves.
“This is the most serious warning that you can have,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green, M.D. said. “It is not a watch. It is a warning. Which means we have to evacuate the coastal zones right away.”
Police officers ask people to evacuate an empty beach due to a tsunami warning in Fujisawa city, Kanagawa prefecture on July 30, 2025. Tsunamis hit parts of Russia's Far East and Japan on July 30 after a huge magnitude 8.8 earthquake, with warnings in place around the Pacific of waves of over 10 feet (3 meters) in places. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Sirens blared in Hawaii’s capital on Tuesday evening and people posted videos of the gridlock on Honolulu streets as thousands rushed to evacuate.
"Any earthquake with a magnitude greater than 7.0 poses a tsunami risk even thousands of miles away from the epicenter," Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations, said.
Tsunami waves led to a maximum height of 3.1 feet at Midway Island in the North Pacific Ocean. Wave activity began in Hawaii around 1-1:30 a.m. EDT with a 5.7-foot wave at Kahului and 4.9 feet measured in Hilo. Waves have subsided, though dangerous currents may persist through Wednesday night.
Tsunami waves passing through Russia and heading towards Hawaii caused gridlock traffic as Hawaiians try to flee the incoming conditions.
Around 6:00 a.m. EDT, the Oahua Department of Emergency Managagement said the Tsunami Warning was downgraded to Tsunami Advisory. "Evacuations canceled for Oahu. Residents may return home. Remain cautious in or near the water. Widespread flooding is NOT expected. Stay away from beaches, shorelines, and out of the ocean," the agency posted on X.
On the U.S. West Coast, waves reached Monterey Bay around 4 a.m. EDT, peaking at a 1.1-foot surge there and 3.6 feet in Crescent City. Authorities closed some of California’s beaches, docks and harbors, warning of strong and dangerous currents.
A tsunami warning is still in effect for a portion of Northern California's coast. Hawaii, South of Fortuna, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and the U.S. territory of Guam are under a tsunami advisory.
Bernie Rayno discusses last night’s earthquake in Russia and the likelihood of a tsunami that follows.
A tsunami happens when an earthquake shifts the ocean floor, pushing a massive column of water up or down. This sudden movement sends waves racing outward. If the quake is strong enough—usually magnitude 7.0 or higher—and close to the surface, the resulting tsunami can bring water surging onto coastlines, rising quickly and posing serious danger to anyone nearby.
"Although not all major earthquakes lead to tsunamis, the risk must be taken seriously until the threat has passed," DePodwin explained, adding that "AccuWeather rapidly pushes all official National Tsunami Warning Center watches and warnings to users of the AccuWeather mobile app."
This earthquake is likely to be in the top 10 strongest ever recorded. The strongest was the 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile, which was 9.4-9.6 magnitude. The 2011 earthquake that triggered the tsunami, which devastated parts of Japan, was a 9.0-9.1 magnitude.
