Tuesday July 29, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 6:50 pm PT | Latest update: 7:10 pm & 7:27 & 7:40 & 8:30 pm | July 30 – 7:13 am & 9:03 am & 11:18 am PT]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Update at 11:17 am & 11:27 PT July 30:
BC Premier David Eby said about the province’s warning system, that the “system worked as expected”. Speaking in a media availability from Kitimat, BC, he added: “It was a good trial run for us.”
He also said that tsunamis are a “challenging problem” — his first impression was that impact in BC could be minimal given the location of the quake .
Yesterday’s quake showed “just how unpredictable these can be”, said Eby. “We could see a significant impact here in BC and people need to be prepared. We didn’t see a huge impact here in BC but we could have,” the premier said.
He was briefed shortly after the alert went out. He understood the quake to be “low risk but there was a risk and we needed to get people off the beaches and shorelines”.
“We were prepared for a more significant impact if that had happened,” said Premier Eby.
Update at 7:13 am PT July 30:
According to Alertable at 7:13 am Wednesday July 30): The tsunami advisory has been cancelled (was lifted at 6:24 am). Status: No longer active.
Update at 8:29 pm PT:
The earthquake strength was upgraded to 8.8 Magnitude, which is being called the sixth-largest earthquake ever recorded. There was some damage from flooding in Russia and some areas of Japan, but no deaths have been reported.
The tsumani watch was upgraded last hour to a tsunami advisory.
That includes Tsunami Notification Zones A (North Coast and Haida Gwaii), B (Central Coast and Northeast Vancouver Island coast including Kitimat, Bella Coola, and Port Hardy), C (West Coast of Vancouver Island from Cape Scott to Port Renfrew) and D (Juan de Fuca Strait from Jordan River to Greater Victoria including Langford and Colwood and the Saanich Peninsula. This includes Haida Gwaii, the north & central coast, & the northeast & outer west coast of Vancouver Island.
Alerts have gone out to people who have registered for that service.
An 8.7 Magnitude earthquake near Russia at 16 minutes past midnight on July 30 (their local time) has triggered a tsunami watch for the west coast of Vancouver Island as well as Hawaii and Alaska.
The first tsunami wave is forecast to reach Hawaii just after 7:15 p.m. local time. Destructive tsunami waves are expected, according to Oahu Emergency Management.
Upgraded to ADVISORY:
At first, in BC, there was a precautionary tsunami watch status for BC’s west coast (6:45 pm PT). Now as of 6:56 pm PT, that has been upgraded to a tsunami advisory for much of the BC coast.
According to EmergencyInfoBC, an advisory means strong currents are likely, and people should stay away from the shore. Waves may continue for several hours.
“Currents at beaches and in harbours, marinas, bays, and inlets may be especially dangerous,” reads the EmergencyInfoBC website. “Do not go to the shore to observe currents or waves.”
The Tsunami Advisory in effect for B.C. covers Tsunami Notification Zones A, B, C and D. This includes Haida Gwaii, the north & central coast, & the northeast & outer west coast of Vancouver Island.
Waves expected at Tofino:
Waves of less than 1ft (0.3m) are expected to reach Tofino at 11:30 pm PT this evening.
As waves reach the BC coast, expect multiple waves over time, says Emergency Info BC. Stay out of coastal waters & away from beaches & harbours.
Emergency Info BC says:
• Stay out of the water. DO NOT go to the shore to observe currents or waves.
• Avoid low-lying coastal areas, harbours, marinas & beaches until emergency officials say it is safe.
About the quake:
The earthquake occurred about 85 miles off the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula with a depth of nearly 12 miles (10 km) at, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Magnitude 6.3 and 6.9 aftershocks were also reported in the area, according to USGS.
A tsunami warning was announced for Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and Hawaii. California, Oregon and Washington are under a tsunami watch, as well as the U.S. territory of Guam, while the threat is being evaluated.
===== RELATED:
- BC Premier David Eby says the tsuanmi advisory was a trial run (July 30, 2025)
- NEWS SECTIONS: EARTHQUAKES | EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS