[UPDATE 9:34 p.m.] TSUNAMI WARNING Issued for Humboldt and Del Norte Coasts After Massive 8.8 Earthquake Near Kamchatka

UPDATED INFORMATION HERE: Tsunami Swells Hit North Coast, but Impacts Are Mild

Residents along the North Coast received an urgent TSUNAMI WARNING alert to their phones this evening as the National Weather Service upgraded the tsunami threat level. The warning follows a magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck earlier today near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula—now tied for the sixth-largest earthquake ever recorded.

The emergency alert sent to phones stated:

“You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return.”

According to Merl Heinlein, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Eureka, Humboldt County is expected to see water level increases of around a foot, while Fort Bragg could see between 0.7 and 1.3 feet. Heinlein said that Crescent City is likely to experience surges over 4 feet, which could affect its waterfront area.

There’s a significant amount of Crescent City’s waterfront that would be impacted at that level, Heinlein said.

The NWS posted on Facebook,

A tsunami warning has been issued for Del Norte and Humboldt County. The first wave arrival is expected around 11:50 PM PDT. Multiple waves are expected and will persist for 10-36hours. Crescent City wave heights are forecast between 2.6-4.8ft. Humboldt Bay wave heights forecast ~1 foot. Follow local officials for information on evacuations, if needed. Mariners are advised to get to depth of 30 fathoms (180 feet) before the first wave arrival. For Humboldt Bay, it is about 12 miles from the marina to a depth of 30 fathoms.

There are differences in opinions among experts. The Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group said the reason for the warning was the potential for surges of up to 6 feet near Crescent City’s harbor, which could flood low-lying areas near the waterfront.

We spoke with Lori Dengler, emeritus professor of geology at Cal Poly Humboldt, who clarified that:

“We are now in the highest level of tsunami alert, which is a warning.”

But, she emphasized, that doesn’t necessarily mean disaster is imminent:

“It could be four or five or six [feet], or it could be 50 feet… Nobody thinks that this is going to be what we would expect from our worst-case Cascadia event.”

Current modeling estimates a possible wave height of around six feet in Crescent City. Humboldt County is expected to see less. Dengler noted, “We’re not talking about a tsunami nearly as big as what happened in 1964 or as big in terms of amplitude as the 2011 tsunami that came from Japan.”

The main threat, Dengler explained, is strong currents in bays and harbors, particularly Crescent City’s, “The commercial fishermen have already been taking their ships out to deep water… They’ll spend the night out in deep water… Fortunately, it’s a beautiful night.”

She also advised, “It’s not a good time to decide to sleep on the beach… I would probably stay away from driving on coastal roads if you don’t have to, just because there’ll be some crazy people and might be some traffic jams.”

Dengler reassured most inland residents, “Very few people in Humboldt County live in the tsunami zone… For 98% of you, you’ll immediately find out: hey, I don’t live in the tsunami zone. This is not a problem.”

For those who do live in the lowest-lying areas:

“You might want to consider visiting some friends for the night.”

The first surges are expected around midnight, but Dengler warns that:

“The first surges are never the largest… we could see unusual activity for a day or longer.”

She encouraged everyone to treat this as a preparedness opportunity:

“Use this as an opportunity to put together a grab-and-go kit… We all should be ready to evacuate if something happens.”

The National Weather Service reported that the first waves are expected to arrive around 11:50 p.m. and emphasized that multiple waves are likely to occur over a 10- to 36-hour period. Residents are urged to move off the beach and out of harbors and marinas. Mariners are advised to head to water depths of 30 fathoms (180 feet)—which is about 12 miles from the Humboldt Bay marina.

The Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group strongly advised against traveling to the beach, particularly in darkness, noting that “the best way to watch a tsunami is online” through real-time tide gauges:
👉 https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tsunami/#

Emergency personnel are on alert, and residents should continue to monitor official channels for updates.

UPDATE 9:34 p.m.: Humboldt County OES just issued a clarifying statement saying,

UPDATE: Shelter Cove Remains Under Advisory, Not Warning, as Tsunami Alert Sparks Confusion

Earlier:

• Tsunami Watch for North Coast After Massive 8.7 Kamchatka Quake
• UPGRADE: Tsunami Advisory Issued for California’s North Coast Following Massive 8.8 Kamchatka Quake