Tsunami Advisory Issued for the Washington Coast

The National Weather Service issued a series of warnings and emergency broadcasts on local radio and TV late last night warning of a potential tsunami striking the Washington Coast by 7 a.m. this morning. 

By 7:45 a.m., however, there were no reports of big waves or damage in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Times and The Associated Press were reporting limited evacuations of low-lying areas on the Washington Coast. 

A massive earthquake given a preliminary measurement of 8.9 magnitude by the US Geological Survey off the coast of Honshu, Japan at 9:46 p.m. (all times Pacific Standard) triggered a tsunami that devastated coastal areas of Sendai, Japan and is now threatening coastal areas across the Pacific Ocean, including the Hawaii, the mainland U.S. and Canada. The effects of the tsunami are expected to reach Coastal Washington between 7-7:30 a.m.

A Tsunami Advisory continues in effect for the coastal areas of Washington, British Columbia and Alaska from the Oregon-Washington border to Amchitka Pass, Alaska (125 miles W of Adak), according to the NWS. An Advisory means that "a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or very near the water is expected," according to a NWS statement.

Meanwhile, a Tsunami Warning continues in effect for the coastal areas of California and Oregon from Point Concepcion, California to the Oregon-Washington border and in Alaska from Amchitka Pass to the Aleutian Islands.

According to the NWS, "A Tsunami Warning means that all coastal residents in the warning area who are near the beach or in low-lying regions should move immediately inland to higher ground and away from all harbors and inlets including those sheltered directly from the sea." 

For more tsunami information go here.