Home Care In Oceanside, CA

A tsunami advisory is in effect for California. This follows a major earthquake near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. Waves are expected to hit the coast soon. Coastal communities from Fort Bragg to San Diego may experience strong currents. Residents are advised to stay away from beaches and harbors.

After a massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, a tsunami advisory has been issued for the entire California coast. The US National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a tsunami watch for large parts of California’s coastline. Experts forecast that waves could hit as early as 11:50 p.m. PDT on July 29, beginning in Fort Bragg and progressing south through better-known cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Oceanside.

Areas under Tsunami Watch (along with expected time of arrival)

Officials have released an estimated timeline for when waves could strike specific locations along the West Coast.Fort Bragg – 11:50 p.m. PDT (July 29)Crescent City – 11:55 p.m. PDTMonterey – 12:15 a.m. PDT (July 30)Port San Luis – 12:35 a.m. PDTSan Francisco – 12:40 a.m. PDTSanta Barbara – 12:50 a.m. PDTLos Angeles Harbor – 1:05 a.m. PDTNewport Beach – 1:10 a.m. PDTOceanside & La Jolla – 1:15 a.m. PDTLos Angeles proper, San Diego (Oceanside and La Jolla), and Bay Area coastal communities may experience wave activity between midnight and 1:15 a.m. local time.

What is a tsunami warning?

A tsunami warning is the highest level of alert issued by Tsunami Warning Centers. It indicates that a tsunami with the potential to cause widespread flooding and dangerous currents is imminent, expected, or already occurring. Dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents are expected and can continue for several hours after the initial wave arrives. Even seemingly small waves can generate destructive forces.

A tsunami advisory is issued when a tsunami with the potential to generate strong currents or dangerous waves in or very near the water is imminent, expected, or occurring.On the other hand, a tsunami watch is a type of tsunami message issued by tsunami warning centers to alert emergency management officials and the public that a tsunami may later impact a specific area. Tsunami watches are normally issued based on seismic information (like an earthquake occurring in a tsunamigenic zone) without confirmation that a destructive tsunami is already underway. A tsunami watch may be upgraded to a tsunami advisory or warning, or it may be cancelled altogether, depending on updated information and analysis from the tsunami warning centers.This rare California tsunami advisory stems from a megathrust earthquake magnitude 8.8 off the Kamchatka Peninsula. Though California is thousands of miles from the epicenter, the geological reach of such powerful tremors can send energy across the Pacific within hours.So, what to expect?Wave heights in Los Angeles are expected to be less than one foot, with Port San Luis facing up to 3.2 feet and Santa Barbara between 0.9 and 1.7 feet. Even small waves can generate dangerous currents and strong surges, especially near harbors, beaches, and low-lying waterfronts. Experts warn that tsunamis often come in multiple waves, with the first wave not necessarily the largest, and activity may continue for 10–36 hours.Though expected wave heights are relatively modest, typically under one foot for most areas, they can create powerful currents and coastal flooding, especially in harbors and beaches.So, if you're near the coast, stay out of the water and avoid beaches, marinas, and harbors. Do not go to the shore to watch; the waves may arrive unpredictably and with dangerous force. Follow instructions from local authorities: some regions may issue evacuation orders, especially in low-lying zones.General guidance and safety precautions:Move inland to higher ground, ideally at least 30 meters (100 feet) above sea level or 3 kilometers (2 miles) inland, following designated evacuation routes if available. If this isn't possible, seek refuge in the upper levels of sturdy, multi-storied, reinforced concrete buildings, staying away from windows.Use interactive tsunami hazard maps from the California Geological Survey to determine your risk zone and nearest evacuation routes.Tsunami alerts are broadcast through radio, television, wireless emergency alerts, and may also come via outdoor sirens, officials, text messages, and telephone notifications. Stay tuned to reliable sources such as the US Tsunami Warning Center and local emergency services (e.g., NOAA, NWS) for updates.Avoid distractions. Disable unnecessary outdoor lighting and screens. Let your eyes adjust if you're monitoring the sky from indoors.While no evacuation orders have been issued in California yet, communities along the coast are under a serious tsunami advisory. Waves may arrive between 11:50 p.m. PDT and 1:15 a.m., but the danger may persist for a longer period of time.During this time of ordeal, the best action is to stay off the beaches, move inland or to higher ground, and monitor official communications closely. Safety starts from recognizing the currents and surges that can cause harm long after initial alerts fade. Stay prepared, stay informed, and follow local authorities diligently.

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The tsunami advisory was lifted for San Diego County and Orange County coastal regions Wednesday morning.

SAN DIEGO — A tsunami advisory has been lifted throughout the coast of San Diego, including La Jolla and Oceanside. The National Weather Service announced the cancellation at around 5:20 a.m. Wednesday morning.

This alert was issued following a preliminary 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

The agency said that the estimated tsunami start time for Oceanside and La Jolla was on Wednesday at 1:15 a.m. The tsunami advisory is still in effect for the coastal areas of Northern California, Oregon and Washington. The advisory also includes British Columbia and Chignik Bay in Alaska.

According to the National Weather Service, a tsunami advisory means that "a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or very near the water is expected or is already occurring. Areas in the advisory should not expect widespread inundation."

Tsunamis are a series of waves that are dangerous for many hours after their initial arrival time, and the first wave may not be the strongest.

Other regions that were under the advisory within California include Monterey, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Crescent City.

In 2011, a tsunami hit California after a large earthquake in Japan. More than 100 boats in Santa Cruz were damaged. The magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a massive wave that traveled 5,000 miles across the ocean, causing damage up and down the West Coast as far south as San Diego.

A tsunami is more than just a big wave; it’s more like a wall of water, according to San Diego State University geologist Pat Abbott.

“A tsunami comes in and it keeps going over the beach, through the houses and over the bay," said Abbott. "It just doesn't quit."

“It's not the height of the wave that concerns me, as much as the fact that the wave is actually the wall in front of a big sheet of water, and that water mass may be miles and miles across. It's just going to run and run and run,” he said.

In 1964, a magnitude 9.2 quake hit Alaska. The resulting tsunami wiped out Crescent City along the coast of Northern California, with a monster swell killing a dozen people who thought the danger had passed.

“In Crescent City, California, people evacuated up, then looked down at their houses and businesses. They saw one, two, three, four waves. A lot of them went back down and the fifth wave was the biggest and all 12 of the deaths occurred with the fifth wave,” said Abbott.

Tsunamis can be triggered by earthquakes that cause large plates under the ocean to move upward, displacing huge amounts of water. The resulting wave can travel 500 miles an hour until it hits land, causing destruction and death.

“It may seem surprising to people, but the biggest risk comes from Alaska,” said Caltech seismologist Lucy Jones.

Jones helped create a computer model that showed what a magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Alaska could do to Southern California, more than 2,000 miles away.

“When we did this modeling, across the coast of California there was $700 million worth of damage to small marinas and ports,” she said.

The model showed the tsunami wave from Alaska hitting as far south as San Diego, with a height of about 6 to 13 feet. Many low-lying areas like San Diego’s Mission Beach and Mission Bay communities would be at risk.

“In areas like Mission Bay, everything is very flat. You're very close to sea level and you can see basically all of the Mission Bay area ends up underwater,” Jones said.

A tsunami triggered by a large, offshore earthquake in the Pacific Northwest could destroy coastal cities in Washington state and Oregon with very little warning.

It would likely take longer, perhaps five to six hours, for a tsunami triggered in that northern region to reach the southern end of the West Coast, giving residents and tourists in Southern California enough time to get to higher ground.

However, geologist Abbott warns if you live in San Diego or you are visiting Southern California, don’t get too comfortable. A smaller tsunami could be triggered by an offshore earthquake and underwater landslide, giving people only 10 minutes or so to evacuate.

Tsunami signs in beach communities along the West Coast are often overlooked and ignored, Abbott said. People should pay attention to the posted evacuation routes. They’re designed to get you away from the coast and up to higher ground.

“This particular sign right here, we're near Grand Avenue and Mission Boulevard, and they're saying go east. Very frankly, where I am sitting I can see Mount Soledad a few blocks away. I would go north,” he said.

When you don’t have time to head inland, looking up could save your life.

“Kind of look around and say, ‘What's my best bet? Oh, I could go up those stairs, up to a third-story building.’ That's pretty good. It's only a half a block away,” Abbott said.

Bottom line, if you’re in any coastal town in the United States or abroad – and you feel shaking or notice any abnormal ocean activity, get to higher ground fast and don’t return until you’re given the all clear by experts.

“If you are at the beach and you feel very strong shaking, leave the beach. Probably nothing is going to happen and all you have done is lost a day at the beach, but the potential upside is your life,” said Jones, the Caltech seismologist.

Jones said a tsunami also could be triggered by a volcanic eruption in Hawaii. In that scenario, people in Southern California might have about five hours warning before the wave hit, she said. That type of tsunami would only come every 50,000 years or so.