Alaska Tsunami Advisory Lifted Following Magnitude 7.8 Kamchatka Earthquake

Advisory Concludes for Aleutian Islands

A tsunami advisory that had been in effect for portions of Alaska's Aleutian Islands was officially lifted on Thursday, September 18, 2025. The advisory was issued following a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that occurred off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. The National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) in Palmer, Alaska, confirmed the lifting of the advisory, indicating no destructive tsunami threat to the U.S. West Coast or Canada.

Details of the Kamchatka Earthquake

The earthquake, measured at magnitude 7.8 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), struck at approximately 11:58 a.m. PST (6:58 p.m. UTC) on Thursday. Its epicenter was located about 127 to 128 kilometers (79 to 80 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the largest city on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The quake registered at a shallow depth, reported by the USGS as either 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) or 19.5 kilometers. Shallow earthquakes are typically felt more intensely closer to the epicenter. Russia's Emergencies Ministry initially reported the magnitude slightly lower at 7.2.

The seismic event was followed by a series of aftershocks, with some reaching a magnitude of 5.8. This earthquake is considered an aftershock of a more significant magnitude 8.8 earthquake that impacted the same region in July 2025.

Tsunami Advisory and Response

The tsunami advisory, issued by the National Tsunami Warning Center and the U.S. National Weather Service, specifically targeted the western Aleutian Islands, spanning from Amchitka to Attu. The advisory cautioned that 'Strong waves and currents are dangerous to those in or very near water,' and advised residents to 'stay out of the water and avoid beaches and waterways.' However, it also clarified that 'Areas in the Advisory should not expect widespread inundation,' categorizing it as a lower-tier warning for potential small waves or strong currents.

Authorities confirmed that there was no tsunami threat to the continental United States, including California, Hawaii, or to British Columbia, Canada. Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov stated that emergency services in the Russian region were placed on high alert, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.