Tsunami Alert! 7.5 Earthquake off Alaska Coast - LIVE BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE

THE LATEST: A magnitude 7.5 earthquake has just occurred near the coast of Sand Point in Alaska, and has prompted tsunami warnings for South Alaska and the Alaska peninsula that remain in effect due to the potential tsunami risk that the earthquake has caused. A drop in tide levels near Sand Point despite is now beginning to be proceeded by a sharp rise in tide levels that may be indicative of tsunami activity. A tsunami warning is still in place for the areas surrounding the epicenter of the earthquake, with Sand Point being the closest population center to the epicenter. 

Residents under the tsunami warning should listen to all instructions from their local weather office and local officials to ensure their safety as tsunami warnings remain in place and aftershocks are possible. 

Pressure rising in one reactor at troubled nuclear plant

Tokyo (CNN) -- Even as workers began to see some success in their battle to cool down reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Japanese officials said Sunday that they would have to release some radioactive gas into the air.

The country's nuclear safety agency said releasing the gas was a necessary step to reduce mounting pressure in reactor No. 3's containment vessel -- the steel and concrete shell that insulates radioactive material inside.

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Radiation levels spike at Japanese nuclear plant

Japanese authorities trying to stave off meltdowns at an earthquake-damaged nuclear power plant reported more grim news Tuesday as radiation levels soared following another explosion at an overheating reactor.

The risk of further releases of radioactive material from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant remains "very high," Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Tuesday. In addition to an explosion at the No. 2 reactor, the building housing the No. 4 unit -- which had been shut down before Friday's earthquake -- was burning Tuesday morning, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano announced.

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Another Japan nuclear reactor fails

Another nuclear reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 facility in Japan has lost its emergency cooling capacity, according to the Associated Press, bringing to three the number of reactors at that facility to fall prey to Friday's magnitude 8.9 earthquake and tsunami. Added to failure of three reactors at Fukushima No. 2, the count is now six overall.

So far, the only reactor that seems to pose an immediate risk of widespread danger is one of the two shut-down reactors at Fukushima No. 1, also known as Fukushima Daiichi, which was disabled by an explosion overnight that destroyed the building housing the reactor and the backup cooling system.

However, officials with Tokyo Electric Power Co., which owns the facilities about 150 miles northeast of Tokyo, reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency on Saturday that the reactor containment vessel, which houses the radioactive core, remained intact and that they were pumping seawater into the vessel to cool it.

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Tsunami approaches 19 Philippine provinces (Map of Philippines)

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake in Japan has entered Philippine territory threatening coastal communities in 19 northeast and eastern provinces.


Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Renato Solidum said the tsunami or series of waves dissipated in strength as it crossed the Pacific towards the Philippines.

He said the waves could rise to up to a meter or less, and would hit Philippine eastern shorelines between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

"May ugong yan at malakas ang current. Along the shoreline, mayroong current. Kapag may ilog, pumapasok sa ilog," Solidum told reporters.
He added: "The stronger waves are going to Hawaii. We are on the side but we will still be hit. Definitely, the wave is coming here."

Solidum reminded the public to steer clear of the eastern coastline of the country until Phivolcs gives the all-clear. He said the tsunami reached 53 centimeters when it hit Taiwan.

Malacañang earlier ordered the mandatory evacuation of residents in coastal areas in 19 provinces expected to be affected by tsunami waves.

The 19 provinces under Tsunami Alert Level 2 are:

• Cagayan
  
• Ilocos Norte
  
• Isabela
  
• Quezon
  
• Aurora
  
• Camarines Norte
  
• Camarines Sur
  
• Albay
  
• Catanduanes
  
• Sorsogon
  
• Northern Samar
  
• Eastern Samar
  
• Leyte
  
• Southern Leyte
  
• Surigao del Norte
  
• Surigao del Sur
  
• Davao Oriental
  
• Davao del Sur 

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Tsunami warning issued for at least 50 countries after earthquake (Map of Japan, Ring of Fire, Pictures, Videos)

The threat of a tsunami prompted the U.S. National Weather Service to issue a warning for at least 50 countries and territories after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan Friday.


The wide-ranging list includes Russia and Central American countries like Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica and the U.S. state of Hawaii. The weather service's bulletin is intended "as advice to government agencies."

The National Weather Service list includes Japan, Russia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Fiji, Mexico, New Zealand, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and the United States.

Numerous Pacific islands, including some U.S. territories, are also on the list.


Friday's 8.9-magnitude temblor in Japan was the largest earthquake since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Banda Aceh area of Indonesia on Dec. 26, 2004, causing a massive tsunami that killed about 250,000 people in 14 countries and washed away entire communities. The tsunami caused nearly $10 billion in damage and more casualties than any other tsunami in history, according to the United Nations.

The earthquake, initially reported as a 7.8 earthquake, was upgraded to an 8.9 quake.

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Breaking News: First tsunami waves push into Hawaii after 8.9 Earthquake and tsunami hit Japan

(CNN) -- Tsunami waves began rolling into Hawaii early Friday, with readings of between 6 and 8 feet expected in some areas following the giant earthquake that struck Japan. Communities along much of the U.S. West Coast were under tsunami warnings, too.



The first impact in Hawaii was felt shortly after 3:07 a.m. local time (8:07 a.m. ET), according to Hawaii State Civil Defense, which issued a tsunami warning.

At 3:30 a.m., television images in Honolulu showed an increase in water coming ashore.

The National Weather Service said the waves could hit Oregon and California between 7:15 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. local time (10:15-10:30 a.m. ET).

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American Samoa Tsunami Latest Update

A new report on tsunami preparedness for the United States found that residents of American Samoa had only eight minutes warning following last September's earthquake, before the territory was struck by a massive tsunami killing 32 residents in the U.S. territory.

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American Samoa

Tsunami Warning For Hawaii Cancelled

The tsunami predicted to strike Hawaii as a result of today's 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Chile only brushed the islands lightly, causing ocean levels to rise three feet at most.

At 1:50 pm local time, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center canceled the tsunami warning for Hawaii it had issued 14 hours earlier.

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Tsunami Warning For Hawaii Cancelled

Live Hawaii Tsunami Coverage (Watch Video)

Latest News Update: Feb. 27-28, 2010

If you haven’t got access to a television at this time, you can still be a part of the live coverage of the expected tsunami in Hawaii. The tsunami comes after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck west Chile not long ago. The Tsunami was estimated to have traveled a whopping 500 miles per hour westbound across the Pacific ocean.

The tsunami was originally expected to strike the coasts of Hawaii at about 4:05PM Eastern, but estimates could put the strike time at about 5:45PM Eastern.

The feed quality isn’t exactly perfect, but it’s certainly watchable:
Live Hawaii Tsunami Coverage

Tsunami Watch Warning Tsunami Hitting Hawaii California Maps Pictures Photos Video Live Coverage

Tsunami races across Pacific, threatens Hawaii
California under tsunami advisory

EWA BEACH, Hawaii—A tsunami triggered by the Chilean earthquake raced across the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, threatening Hawaii as it rushed toward the U.S. West Coast and hundreds of islands from the bottom of the planet to the top.

LOS ANGELES—California warned its coastal cities to prepare for possible tsunami waves following a deadly magnitude-8.8 earthquake off the coast of Chile.

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Tsunami Warning Hawaii California