LOS ANGELES (AP) — No tsunami warning, watch or advisory has been issued for the West Coast following the 8.9-magnitude earthquake off northeastern Japan, but officials say they are still assessing the situation.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says a new warning could be issued as more information becomes available
A tsunami watch has been issued for the state of Hawaii. The center says the estimated earliest arrival of the first tsunami wave for Hawaii is 2:59 a.m. HST Friday.
A tsunami watch is automatically declared whenever there’s an offshore earthquake 7.5 or larger. Scientists then collect data from sea level gauges to determine if tsunami waves were generated.
A watch can be upgraded to a warning if destructive waves are imminent or canceled if there’s no further threat to the area.
