The coast of California is under a tsunami watch after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck the east coast of Russia, the National Weather Service announced Tuesday.
A tsunami watch is now under effect from the California-Mexico border to Chignik Bay, Alaska, NWS and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. More northern parts of Alaska are under an advisory and warning.
The watch for California’s coast comes after an 8.7-magnitude earthquake rattled Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia at 4:24 p.m. PST, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It hit at a depth of 12 miles and several aftershocks have occurred near the origin of the temblor.
NWS warned that the coastlines of all of Hawaii’s islands could see damage due to the anticipated tsunami. The first waves are expected to occur at 7 p.m. local time.
“Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,” NWS’ warning stated.
The entire California coast is under a tsunami watch that was triggered by a massive 8.7-magnitude earthquake in Russia. Dr. Lucy Jones, a seismologist, takes a closer look at the initial temblor and what the watch means for California. This video was broadcast on the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.
Have you ever wondered how our phones can alert us of a tsunami before it happens? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has complex infrastructure dedicated to this warning system.
