Tsunami Advisory for Oregon Coast

The advisory is a result of a volcanic eruption in Tonga

Oregon’s coast is under a tsunami advisory for the morning of Saturday, Jan. 15.

The National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami advisory for the coast of Oregon, Washington and California, due to a large undersea volcanic eruption near Tonga.

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano located in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga, erupted Jan. 13, leading to the West Coast tsunami warning.

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management issued a press release saying, “Residents in coastal areas are advised to move off beaches and out of harbors and marinas. Waves of 1 to 3 feet along the coast of Oregon and Washington are expected.”

The first waves arrived at the Oregon Coast around 8 am, the release says, and could continue for up to 24-hours.

For those tempted to go check out the waves, the emergency management office warns that could be risky, and even fatal. “Stay away from port harbors and low-lying beaches because those strong currents can still cause a lot of damage, and you could be potentially risking your life,” Oregon Office of Emergency Management Geologic Hazards Coordinator Althea Rizzo says in the release.

Images of the volcano are available through NOAA.