Tsunami waves reach SoCal coast after massive Russia quake; tsunami watch canceled

Tsunamis are waves triggered by earthquakes, underwater volcanic eruptions and submarine landslides. After an underwater earthquake, the seafloor rises and drops, which lifts water up and down. The energy from this pushes sea water that transfers to waves.

Many people think of tsunamis as one wave. But they are typically multiple waves that rush ashore like a fast-rising tide.

Some tsunamis are small and don't cause damage. Others can cause massive destruction. In 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia, causing waves that leveled remote villages, ports and tourist resorts along the Indian Ocean across Southeast and South Asia.

The Los Angeles Unified School District said schools in a tsunami warning zone "will begin no earlier than 9 a.m." Wednesday.

Schools in the warning zone include: Westminster Avenue Magnet, Westminster Avenue Early Education Center, Westside Global Awareness Magnet, Broadway Elementary School, Coeur d'Alene Elementary School, Marina del Rey Middle School, Marina Early Education Center, Venice Skills Center, Harbor Occupational Center, Wilmington Skills Center and Barton Hill Elementary School.

Schools will send updates prior to 9 a.m. to confirm opening or provide additional information, the district said.

The small Northern California community of Crescent City turned on its tsunami sirens to warn residents about possible waves.

"You are hearing a Tsunami Siren. We are under a Tsunami Warning. Please stay away from beaches and waterways. A predicted wave may hit at 11:55 pm. We are waiting on additional information about any level of evacuation," read a post from the City Hall Facebook account.

The city in rural Northern California has roughly 6,000 residents.

A tsunami in 1964 caused by an earthquake in Alaska caused a wave 21 feet (6.4 meters) high to hit the city, killing 11 people and destroying its downtown.

A tsunami warning was issued for Northern California, from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon border following an 8.8-magnitude earthquake near Russia Tuesday afternoon. The rest of the California coast was under a Tsunami Advisory.

These are the forecasted tsunami start times for several California cities, according to the National Weather Service.

• Fort Bragg: 11:50 p.m. -- July 29, 2025

• Crescent City: 11:55 p.m. -- July 29, 2025

• Monterey: 12:15 a.m. -- July 30, 2025

• Port San Luis: 12:35 a.m. -- July 30, 2025

• San Francisco: 12:40 a.m. -- July 30, 2025

• Santa Barbara: 12:50 a.m. -- July 30, 2025

• Los Angeles: 1:05 a.m. -- July 30, 2025

• Newport Beach: 1:10 a.m. -- July 30, 2025

• Oceanside: 1:15 a.m. -- July 30, 2025

• La Jolla: 1:15 a.m. -- July 30, 2025

The NWS is forecasting peak tsunami wave heights of 1.7 to 3.2 feet for Port San Luis, 0.9 to 1.7 feet for Santa Barbara and less than 1 foot for Los Angeles.

Tsunamis often arrive as a series of waves or surges which could be dangerous for many hours after the first wave arrival, according to the NWS. The first tsunami wave or surge may not be the highest in the series.