“I saw the ocean vanish… then the ground started to shake” – Emergency TSUNAMI alert sends Hawaii and entire West Coast into PANIC as officials confirm largest wave system in 14 years is barreling toward shorelines with terrifying speed, raising fears of catastrophic flooding and widespread displacement

A chilling warning has gripped the Pacific. An unprecedented tsunami surge—described by authorities as the most powerful in over a decade—is now racing toward Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington. Evacuation alerts have already been triggered, while terrified residents report eerie ocean behavior and tremors. Scientists say the wave could exceed expectations in both height and force, especially due to shifting fault lines that weren’t fully understood until now. Could this become the next historic disaster to cripple the coast?

Tap here to see which cities are most at risk—and why officials fear it’s only the beginning.

Trump shared a resource for people affected by the tsunami warning(Image: Getty Images)

President Donald Trump spoke out after a powerful earthquake struck just east of Petropavlovsk, Russia, resulting in tsunami warnings for Hawaii and the Californian coast.

The president, who has just returned from a 5-day trip to Scotland, took to Truth Social to express his support for those in the areas affected by the tsunami warnings.

“Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii,” Trump wrote. “A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit tsunami.gov/ for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”

An urgent warning has been issued following one of the most powerful earthquakes in modern history. The National Weather Service released an advisory for Hawaii, saying “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts around you.”

“You are in danger,” it continued. “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.”

The California coastline and parts of Alaska have also been put on a tsunami advisory. The Samalga Pass, which is close to Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, is included in the warning.

The massive earthquake has prompted fears of a tsunami(Image: USGS)

The National Weather Service for Los Angeles shared updated information on X, writing, “A TSUNAMI WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT for coastal San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles Counties. An earthquake 8.7 80 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk Kamchatka, Russia. Stay tuned for updates.”

On social media, people living in the affected areas are sharing live updates, advising their neighbors to move to higher ground, and to the fourth floor of buildings where possible.

After returning today from his visit to Scotland, Trump commented on the deadly shooting that took place in New York City on Monday.

“It’s so bad, so sad to see,” he told reporters. “He’s a lunatic, and we just have to stop it. These people come in, you never want to see a thing like that happen. And we’ve expressed our opinions very, very strongly. Terrible thing.”

Millions of Americans were under threat of a devastating tsunami following a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Russia.

Sirens were blaring in Hawaii and residents were urged to evacuate from coastal areas as the entire island chain braced for the impact to strike at 1 am EST.

Photos posted online showed bumper-to-bumper traffic on a Honolulu highway as residents scrambled to get to higher ground.

Tsunami advisories were also in effect for the entire West Coast of the United States and a tsunami threat covered Japan, where workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant were forced to evacuate.

Waves were expected to reach California at about 3 am EST.

On his Truth Social page, President Donald Trump urged Americans to ‘STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE.’

Data from the US Geological Survey shows the quake reached a magnitude of 8.8 and struck about 84 miles east-southeast of Kamchatska, Russia at around 7.24pm EST.

The quake was believed to be the strongest to strike on the entire planet in 14 years, when a 9.1 megaquake hit northeast Japan and left 19,747 people either dead or missing.

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A tsunami advisory has been extended to cover the entire West Coast of the United States

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The quake reached a magnitude of 8.7 and struck about 84 miles east-southeast of Kamchatska at around 7.24pm EST

Several were injured in Russia and kindergarten in Petropavlovsk collapsed from the quake as tsunami waves could be seen reaching the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

‘Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal,’ Oleg Melnikov, regional health minister told Russia´s TASS state news agency.

‘All patients are currently in satisfactory condition, and no serious injuries have been reported so far.’

The Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences also said it was a very powerful earthquake.

‘However, due to certain characteristics of the epicenter, the shaking intensity was not as high … as one might expect from such a magnitude,’ it said in a video on Telegram.

‘Aftershocks are currently ongoing … Their intensity will remain fairly high. However, stronger tremors are not expected in the near future. The situation is under control.’

But in Hawaii, the Department of Emergency Management for Oahu, an island of Hawaii, urged residents on the coast to evacuate the area or at least move to higher ground ahead.

Officials in Guam also urged residents to get off the beaches and harbors.

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Passersby in Japan stopped to watch the news as the island nation remained under a tsunami threat Tuesday night

President Donald Trump urged Americans to ‘STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE’

The tsunami ‘could be destructive’ to coastal areas, authorities at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned.

The warning added that ‘waves reaching more than three meters above the tide level [or about 10 feet] are possible along some coasts of Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.’

The National Weather Service also warned residents they ‘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,’ the department said in an alert.

Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci also urged Americans to ‘prepare to evacuate vertically if warnings are issued.’

‘Move away from beaches, harbors, marinas, bays and inlets. If you’re in a boat and cannot reach shore, sail away from the coast into deeper waters where the tsunami’s energy will be dispersed. Head to a place with an ocean depth of at least 180 feet.’

The earthquake on Tuesday came just over one week after several other tremors struck the area, including one that measured a 7.4 magnitude.

Tuesday’s earthquake is the largest this year, and is the first magnitude 8.0 or higher since 2021.

Kamchatka and Russia’s Far East sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region that is prone to major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.