CA coast Tsunami watch upgraded to advisory

(BCN) — The National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a Tsunami Advisory for the California Coast on Tuesday evening, including coastal areas spanning from Mendocino to Monterey counties.

Previously, the center had issued a Tsunami Watch, which was issued around 5:54 p.m. An advisory means that a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or dangerous waves is expected or already occurring.

The center issued the advisory after an 8.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russian’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday afternoon.

Waves may already be getting increasingly large or high right now, the weather service said.

“Areas in the advisory should not expect widespread inundation. Tsunamis are a series of waves dangerous many hours after initial arrival time,” the weather service said, “The first wave may not be the largest.”

The advisory includes the San Francisco Bay Area, including Sonoma, Napa, Larkspur, Vallejo, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Santa Cruz, Monterey and other ocean and bayside communities.

The time of arrival is estimated as early as 12:40 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

In a Tuesday evening post on X (formerly Twitter), California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Press Office issued a statement which reads, “The Governor has been briefed on the tsunami advisory issued following the earthquake off the coast of Russia. California Office of Emergency Services is closely coordinating with local officials in coastal communities. We encourage everyone to stay alert and follow guidance from local emergency personnel.”

The center will upgrade the Tsunami Advisory to a Tsunami Warning if a tsunami is imminent.

A tsunami can result in widespread, sudden flooding of beaches, harbors and coastal areas.

If a Tsunami Warning is issued, people should stay out of the water and away from beaches and waterways, the National Weather Service said. People should move off beaches and out of harbors and go as high or as far inland as possible.

Officials advise the following for Tsunami advisory safety:

• Stay out of the water
• Stay away from beaches and waterways
• Remain away from shore until local officials say it’s okay to return

Tsunami alerts warnings can be monitored at https://tsunami.gov/.