A tsunami stemming from the eruption of an underwater volcano in Tonga hit the California coast with waves that in at least one case exceeded one meter in height and caused minor flooding in parts of California.
“A tsunami is occurring along the coast of Alaska, British Columbia (Canadian) and the west coast of the United States,” he said shortly before 11:00 a.m. in that area (19:00 GMT). the US Tsunami Warning Service on its official Twitter account.
The waves recorded so far range from 7 centimeters (0.2 feet) in Alameda (California) to 24 centimeters (4 feet) in Port San Luis, regarding 300 kilometers north of Los Angeles, in the same state. , according to that service belonging to the National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, distinguished Saturday’s advisory from a more severe “advisory,” urging residents to evacuate to higher ground immediately.
“We are advising people to stay out of the water and off the beaches,” he said, adding that it was “quite uncommon” because it was due to a volcanic eruption and not an underwater earthquake, and because it spread to the entire coast. West.
He said the entire coastline was at risk, including parts of the islands leading away from the volcano, such as Avalon Harbor.
The surge of water can “bend around the island and can also bounce off shorelines,” he said. As of 8:30 a.m., the port of Port San Luis in San Luis Obispo County was seeing a rise of more than 1 foot
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said in an advisory that while no major flooding was expected, the tsunami might produce dangerous currents and tidal surges during the day that would make swimming dangerous. Strong currents were expected in harbors and bays for several hours.
“The ocean is pretty calm right now,” Seal Beach Police Lt. Nick Nicholas said shortly following 10 a.m.
Officers and lifeguards patrolled the shoreline for signs of flooding and to keep people out of the water, Nicholas said. The city closed beaches, parking lots and the pier before dawn and few surfers or swimmers were out at that time, he said.
Harbor patrols and local authorities went from boat to boat on the water to warn sailors of the remaining dangers from the tsunami.
“The main point of concern is currents, particularly strong rip currents,” said Carrie Braun, director of public affairs and community engagement for the sheriff.
Newport Beach resident Bob Baeyens, 61, was stunned when he ran into a closed gate in the middle of the pier.
“I’ve never seen it closed like this. But you don’t usually hear regarding the danger of a tsunami, not really here,” he said, looking down at the surfers flocking to the shimmering waters.
“They still come,” he added, pointing to the bobbing bodies in wetsuits, which he estimated at around 100.
Los Angeles County officials issued the following advisory for coastal areas:
1) Get out of the water, the beach and ports, marinas, breakwaters, bays and inlets.
2) Don’t go to the shore to observe the tsunami.
3) Do not return to the coast until local emergency officials say it is safe.
Some Southern California beachgoers took it all in stride. As a light rain fell, it looked like a typical Saturday morning on Venice Beach as joggers ran down the Ocean Front Walk and surfers took advantage of the waves at the pier and breakwater. County and pier parking lots were open.
Further north, storm surge swept through Santa Cruz Harbor early Saturday, causing flooding and pushing boats over, said Ashley Keehn, public information officer for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies and the Harbor Patrol evacuated people from the port, including some people living on board the ships.
The impact took place despite the fact that the Californian coast is located almost 8,700 kilometers (5,400 miles) from the South Pacific island nation of Tonga, where the volcanic eruption took place.
The tsunami caused “light flooding” in the port of Santa Cruz, California, where beaches were closed and people were evacuated from commercial areas near the coast, although no one was forced to leave their homes, he said. City Manager Elizabeth Smith told CNN.
There was also “flooding to the parking area” near the beach in Port San Luis, where the highest waves were recorded, the Los Angeles division of the National Weather Service (NWS) said in a tweet.
In Berkeley (California), some 110 people were evacuated from ships and docks in the coastal area, according to local media Berkeleyside; and most of the beaches in the south of the state were closed due to the alert.
“Do not approach the coast to observe the tsunami,” the Tsunami Warning Service stressed on its website.
This service removed the tsunami warning for Hawaii hours following issuing it, following verifying that there had been no waves of that magnitude in those US Pacific islands.
Instead, NOAA kept the tsunami advisory in effect for the states of California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, as well as Canada’s British Columbia.