A massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Russia Tuesday, sparking tsunami w:arnings in Hawaii and Alaska and alerts for other areas of the West Coast.
The earthquake took place about 85 miles off the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula with a depth of nearly 12 miles, as per the U.S. Geological Survey. The agency upgraded the earthquake’s reported magnitude from initial reports of 8.0 and 8.7.
According to USGS, magnitude 6.3 and 6.9 aftershocks were also reported in the area, .
A tsunami wa:rning was made an announcement for Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and Hawaii. California, Oregon and Washington are under a tsunami advisory, while the threat is being evaluated.
The California coast was upgraded to a Tsunami Advisory from a Tsunami Watch, and if a wave is generated, it’s expected to reach California at 11:50 p.m. and the Los Angeles area around 1 a.m. local time. Further down the coast, the city of Huntington Beach is closing its pier and beaches out of an abundance of caution.
The U.S. territories of Guam and American Samoa are also under a tsunami advisory, according to USGS.
The first tsunami wave is forecast to reach Hawaii just after 7:15 p.m. local time. Destructive tsunami waves are expected, according to Oahu Emergency Management.
