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Tsunami threat canceled after 7.8M earthquake near Russia; No danger to WA

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Published  September 18, 2025 12:30pm PDT
Earthquakes
FOX 13 Seattle

The Brief

    • A massive 7.8M earthquake struck near eastern Russia Thursday afternoon, prompting tsunami alerts.
    • At around 2:40 p.m., NOAA announced no Tsunami Warning, Advisory, Watch or Threat.

A tsunami threat was issued Thursday afternoon following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Russia.

A tsunami threat was issued Thursday afternoon following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Russia. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the potential tsunami threat was reported off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia, at 12:05 p.m. PT. A tsunami advisory was subsequently issued for Amchitka Pass, Alaska, just minutes later. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that the earthquake struck at 11:58 a.m. PT, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has an estimated population of 181,216, according to USGS data.

(NOAA)

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the potential tsunami threat was reported off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia, at 12:05 p.m. PT. At around 2:40 p.m., NOAA announced no Tsunami Warning, Advisory, Watch or Threat, 

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that the earthquake struck at 11:58 a.m. PT, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has an estimated population of 181,216, according to USGS data.

A tsunami threat was issued Thursday afternoon following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Russia. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the potential tsunami threat was reported off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia, at 12:05 p.m. PT. A tsunami advisory was subsequently issued for Amchitka Pass, Alaska, just minutes later. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that the earthquake struck at 11:58 a.m. PT, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has an estimated population of 181,216, according to USGS data.

(USGS)

Tsunami advisory canceled for Alaska

A tsunami advisory was subsequently issued for Amchitka Pass, Alaska. After further review, the National Tsunami Warning Center canceled the advisory for the Western Aleutian Islands in Alaska at around 2:11 p.m. PT.

According to FOX Weather, a Tsunami Advisory is a lower-rung alert for a tsunami, issued when small waves may impact an area.

Tsunami threat canceled for Hawaii

NOAA issued a tsunami threat for Hawaii at 12:30 p.m., with the potential of 1–3.3 foot waves. However, at around 2:40 p.m. the tsunami threat was canceled for Hawaii.

Is there a tsunami threat in WA?

Washington Emergency Management announced at around 1:42 p.m. that there is no tsunami threat for the US or Canadian Pacific coasts.

What do the different tsunami alert levels mean?

As natural disasters like tsunamis can develop rapidly, understanding the levels of tsunami alerts is critical for public safety. These alerts, issued by agencies like the National Weather Service, are divided into four levels: Tsunami Threat, Tsunami Watch, Tsunami Advisory, and Tsunami Warning.

  1. Tsunami Threat: This serves as an information statement to update the public on tsunami activity, often to report no threat or cancel previous alerts.
  2. Tsunami Watch: This means a tsunami is possible based on preliminary data, and people in at-risk areas should stay alert for updates.
  3. Tsunami Advisory: This indicates the potential for strong currents or waves that may be hazardous to those in or near the water.
  4. Tsunami Warning: This means a dangerous tsunami is imminent or already occurring. Coastal areas are advised to evacuate immediately.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

The Source: Information in this story comes from the United States Geological Survey, the National Weather Service and the Notional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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