Tsunami waves hit Hawaii, US West Coast after massive 8.8 quake strikes off Russia
In Hawaii, Haleiwa measured a tsunami at a 4-foot wave amplitude, with a 3.9-foot wave amplitude at Hanalei. A 5.7-foot wave amplitude was reported in Kahului, and a 4.9-foot wave amplitude was reported in Hilo. All Tsunami Advisories have been canceled for Alaska, Hawaii and most of the U.S. Pacific Coast.
Tsunami waves impact Hawaii, West Coast after powerful earthquake off east coast of Russia
Tsunami alerts remain in effect in Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off the east coast of Russia. FOX Weather Meteorologists Bob Van Dillen and Marissa Torres have the latest on July 30, 2025.
HONOLULU – A Pacific-wide tsunami triggered by a historic underwater 8.8 earthquake off the eastern coast of Russia sent walls of water rushing toward the U.S. and impacted coastal communities in Hawaii and Alaska, as well as California, Washington and Oregon along the West Coast.
Tsunami alerts, including Tsunami Warnings, were issued across the region as tens of thousands of people were told to seek higher ground for safety.
The worst of the disaster appears to be behind us, however, as all alerts issued in the U.S. were later downgraded to Tsunami Advisories. By Wednesday afternoon, only part of California remained under a Tsunami Advisory.
In Hawaii, all evacuation orders were lifted, commercial ports were cleared for reopening and airports resumed flights, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
Tsunami alerts for coastal California on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (FOX Weather)
Officials stressed that even though those alerts were being downgraded, the danger is far from over as rough surf at the beach and strong ocean currents would remain dangerous for anyone entering the water.
"A Tsunami Advisory means that the potential for strong currents or dangerous waves are expected or occurring for those in or near the water," Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan said earlier in the day. "There may be flooding of beach or harbor areas. Those who have evacuated may safely return home based on county assessment and directives."
How big were tsunami waves?
This graphic shows observed tsunami wave heights in Hawaii. (FOX Weather)
In Hawaii, Haleiwa measured a tsunami at a 4-foot wave amplitude, with a 3.9-foot wave amplitude at Hanalei.
A 5.7-foot wave amplitude was reported in Kahului, and a 4.9-foot wave amplitude was reported in Hilo.
The tsunami took about six hours to complete the more than 3,500-mile journey across the Pacific Ocean from the magnitude 8.8 earthquake’s epicenter just a few miles offshore of Petropavlovsk, Russia.
Major earthquake in Russia produces a tsunami threat for the U.S. West Coast
FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross shares the latest details regarding the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia, which has caused a tsunami threat for the entire U.S. West Coast.
The tsunami waves continued across the Pacific after impacting Hawaii and began to slam the coasts of Washington, California and Oregon early Wednesday morning.
This animated graphic shows tsunami wave heights along the West Coast. (FOX Weather)
In California, a tsunami with a 3.6-foot wave amplitude was reported in Crescent City, with a 3-foot wave amplitude in Arena Cove.
Officials in Crescent City said in a Wednesday morning news conference that while alerts have been lowered, it's not safe to be on the beach, and residents should stay away until further notice.
In addition, the harbor master said tsunami waves caused damage.
Tsunami surge damages dock at Crescent City Harbor
Video taken early Wednesday during a Tsunami Warning in Crescent City, California shows a surge of water pushing the docks causing an estimated $1 million in damages.
"At approximately 2:40 a.m., we noticed there was a surge of water several feet in height that caused the decking of H Dock to lift along its pilings," Harbormaster Mike Rademaker said during the news conference. "So, as the water levels continued to rise, the structure was unable to adjust, and the decking became lodged in the pilings and was eventually submerged."
As a result, it led to major structural damage and "complete separation of the dock."
Officials said early assessments found an estimated $1 million in damage to the dock.
A 1.6-foot wave amplitude was reported in Point Reyes, and a 1.4-foot wave amplitude was reported in Monterey.
Watch: Time-lapse video shows tsunami impacting California coast
A time-lapse video recorded on Wednesday morning shows tsunami waves impacting Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay, California.
La Push, Washington, and Charleston, Oregon, both reported a tsunami wave that was less than a foot.
Impacts from the tsunami have spread far beyond Hawaii, as the massive rupture under the Pacific triggered tsunami alerts across a wide swath of the ocean’s basin.
In fact, officials across four continents – North America, South America, Asia and Australia – all warned their residents to be aware of possible flooding from tsunami waves as they arrive at the coast.
Tsunami sirens scream across Hawaii as residents scramble for safety
Ahead of the potentially destructive tsunami waves, sirens across the Hawaiian Islands wailed at regular intervals, warning people of the danger as the wall of water rushed toward the Aloha State.
One final wail of the sirens was scheduled to go off about 30 minutes before the arrival of the first wave.
Ahead of that, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green urged people to evacuate coastal zones and to expect flooding on all islands.
"We do expect damage," he said. "If you stay on the beaches, you could risk death."
He warned people inside evacuation zones to go up four stories if in a building, and if that wasn’t possible, to evacuate.
"It is, again, not just a 3-foot wave," Green continued. "It is a forceful wall of water."
Locals in Maui, Hawaii, line up for food and supplies as the state issues tsunami warnings
A magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Russia has caused tsunami warnings throughout Hawaii.
Highways across Hawaii became jammed with people trying to get to higher ground. On Kauai, officials urged people to avoid Hanalei to allow people to evacuate. On Maui, officials were staging vehicles and equipment across state highways.
Hilo's airport operations were suspended to facilitate evacuations from Keaukaha, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT).
Watch: Animation shows boats flee Honolulu Harbor amid Tsunami Warning
An animation provided by MarineTraffic, a ship tracking and maritime analytics provider, showed dozens of boats leaving Honolulu Harbor after a massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Russia led to a Pacific-wide tsunami that impacted Hawaii.
The Coast Guard ordered all commercial vessels to leave all commercial ports and head out to sea. All harbors were closed to incoming traffic.
Some flights inbound to Hawaii were diverted back to Los Angeles due to the tsunami threat, per the FOX Forecast Center's analysis of FlightAware data. Meanwhile, about 200 travelers were sheltering at Kahului Airport after all flights were canceled, the HDOT said.
Cars preparing to evacuate to higher ground ahead of a tsunami in Hawaii. (Go Akami/HDOT / FOX Weather)
"The roads are really crowded," said Jenny Welch, who was visiting Wailea, Hawaii, from California with her family. "There's one road out of that area. And so we were headed back to our hotel and actually decided to turn around and head back out of the area ... traffic's really bad."
They had no idea what was happening until their friends in California texted and asked if they were OK.
"And at that point, we had not heard anything about it," Welch said. "And then about five minutes after that, our phone, the phone alarm started going off, and then the sirens started going off once we were in closer to Wailea. So yeah, it was a surprise for sure."
Tsunami waves reported in Japan, Russia
The danger extended to Japan and Russia, where Tsunami Warnings were also in effect.
Strong waves smash Japan's Pacific Coast during a Tsunami warning
A tsunami warning has been issued for parts of Japan following a magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Russia. Video captured on Tuesday shows the strong waves battering Japan's Pacific Coast.
According to reports, more than 2 million people in 229 municipalities were told to evacuate from along Japan’s coast when the Tsunami Warning was in effect.
Officials urged people to stay away from the coast and move to higher ground.
Videos recorded in Japan showed waves crashing onshore when the tsunami arrived.
Japan's Meteorological Agency reported that large swaths of the eastern shores observed tsunamis of 0.3-0.4 meters (1-1.3 feet).
Drone video shows aftermath of Tsunami on Russian coastal town
Drone footage the from Kamchatka branch of the Federal Research Center of Geophysical Surveys of the Russian Academy of Sciences shows the damage caused by tsunami waves on the town of Severo-Kurils, in Russia’s far-eastern Kuril Islands. The waves were caused by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake, the sixth strongest quake in recorded history.
And drone video recorded in Russia showed the aftermath of the tsunami once the water began to recede.
According to reports, the mayor of Sevro-Kurils said the third tsunami wave was responsible for causing the most damage, hitting port infrastructure and ships in the harbor.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake would tie for the sixth-strongest quake on record.
This graphic shows the top 10 earthquakes on record by magnitude. (FOX Weather)