A tsunami watch was issued for all of the California coast after an 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia.
According to the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center, the watch was in effect for the entire West Coast, including Washington and Oregon, as well as a portion of British Columbia and areas of South and Southeast Alaska.
A tsunami watch is the lowest level of the warning center's three-tier alert system. It means that the level of threat is not yet known and that residents should stay tuned and be prepared to take action.
A more severe tsunami warning was in effect for the western section of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, where people were being told to immediately evacuate designated tsunami hazard zones. A warning is also in place for the entire state of Hawaii where all residents are urged to head away from the coast line.
The middle tier ranking of a tsunami advisory was in effect for the eastern section Alaska's Aleutian Islands and a portion of South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula.
The earthquake struck at a depth of 46 miles at 9:25 a.m. Wednesday in local Russian time — which is 4:25 p.m. Tuesday in PST.
The size of any waves that may strike California is currently unknown. Should a tsunami materialize it would hit Fort Bragg in Mendocino County at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday, Crescent City in Del Norte County at 11:55 p.m.
Then, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, potential waves would reach Monterey at 12:15 a.m., San Francisco at 12:40 a.m. Wednesday, the Los Angeles harbor at 1:05 a.m., Newport Beach at 1:10 a.m., and Oceanside and La Jolla at 1:15 a.m.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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