What to Know About the Pacific Tsunami

New York Times

3 days ago

From Japan to Hawaii and California, people were tracking the effects of a tsunami after a powerful earthquake struck overnight in the North Pacific off the coast of Russia's Far East.
Hawaii and parts of California spent hours under a tsunami warning, with officials urging residents to stay away from shorelines and seek shelter on higher ground. The waves first hit California around 1 a.m. local time.
By Wednesday morning, many official tsunami warnings had been downgraded to advisories, with minimal damage and no reported deaths.
Still, officials warned people to stay away from beaches and out of the water as Hawaii and parts of the California coast braced for what could be 24 hours of surging waves and tidal swells. Here's what to know:
Where has the tsunami hit and what's next?
Waves began arriving in Hawaii around 7:30 p.m. local time Tuesday evening, and first hit the coasts of Northern California and Washington State around 1 a.m. local time. A 3.6-foot wave was recorded in Crescent City, Calif., overnight, and a 5.7-foot wave reached Maui, Hawaii, late on Tuesday, the tallest recorded so far for this tsunami. Smaller surges hit parts of Alaska, which measured tsunami waves around a foot tall on Tuesday evening.
Many beaches and shorelines across those areas were closed, and officials warned residents not to be lured into a false sense of security.
What triggered this tsunami?
An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's eastern coast in shallow waters of the North Pacific on Tuesday morning, causing significant aftershocks and damage to structures in Russia, and setting off a ripple of tsunami warnings from Japan to the California coast, as well as Central and Latin America.
If the quake's magnitude is confirmed by scientists, it will be one of the largest ever recorded.
What damage has the tsunami caused?
As of early Wednesday morning Pacific time, damage in the United States was minimal after the first waves arrived in Hawaii and across the West Coast. In Hawaii, a tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory after officials said the biggest waves had likely passed and major flooding was not likely.
In Oregon and California, officials urged residents to stay vigilant even as warnings were downgraded, saying that dangerous currents could still occur in the water, and waves could continue to surge through the night.
In Russia, the earthquake damaged structures and caused cliff faces to collapse into the sea. Videos from the area showed homes and other structures shaking violently and buildings awash in seawater.
There have been no reports of injuries or deaths caused by the tsunami so far.
What should I do to prepare for a tsunami?
The U.S. government provides tips for preparing for tsunamis. Among them: Know your community's evacuation plans and practice them ahead of time. Maps of tsunami inundation zones and evacuation routes that can guide your planning may be available for your area. At home and in other places where you spend time, 'you have to know your threat,' said Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, a manager in the Caribbean office of the International Tsunami Information Center.
Dave Snider, a tsunami warning coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, advised having 'multiple ways to receive emergency information.' In the United States, you may be able to receive emergency alerts, including information about tsunamis, through an app from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he said. Alerts may also be available locally or on NOAA Weather Radio.
What do I do during an earthquake or tsunami?
During an earthquake, drop to the ground, cover your body to prevent injuries (by crawling under a table, for example) and hold on, according to the Earthquake Country Alliance.
If you are notified that an earthquake may have set off a tsunami in your area, heed the instructions you are given. Move as high and as far inland as you can.
But don't wait around for a notification if you notice something is amiss — even a couple of minutes can make a life-or-death difference, Ms. von Hillebrandt-Andrade said. 'You have to recognize the natural warning signs,' she said. 'If you feel an earthquake that is so strong that you can't stay on your feet and you live in a coastal area, you have to self-evacuate.'