Tsunami Watch Issued For All Hawaiian Islands

UPDATE: As of 9:54 pm, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has CANCELLED the tsunami watch for the State of Hawai´i. There is no tsunami threat to the Hawaiian Islands, based on the newest reports.

UPDATE: The USGS has updated the earthquake from a M-8.1 to a M-8.2.

Hawai´i is currently under a tsunami watch.

The National Weather Service’s (NWS) Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach issued the watch Wednesday evening, July 28, at 8:25 pm Hawai´i Standard Time. It comes after initial reports of what is currently being described as a magnitude-8.2 earthquake in the location of the Alaska Peninsula.

“Based on all available data, a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicenter,” according to the report from the NWS. “An investigation is underway to determine if there is a tsunami threat to Hawai´i.”

The report continued on to say that if tsunami waves do impact the state, the earliest estimated arrival of the first wave is 12:53 am on Thursday, July 29.

This situation will be updated as more information becomes available.