Here are the U.S. regions with the highest tsunami risk
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Parts of the U.S. West Coast, Alaska and Hawai'i are under tsunami advisories as of Wednesday morning, susceptible to "one of the most powerful and destructive natural forces," as described by the National Weather Service.
The big picture: U.S. states and territories with Pacific and Caribbean coastlines face higher tsunami risk due to their proximity to seismic and volcanic activity.
- Most tsunamis are small and nondestructive or only affect coasts near their source, but some can cause damage and deaths on distant shores, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
Driving the news: An estimated 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia early Wednesday triggered widespread tsunami warnings and advisories in Hawai'i, Alaska, and the U.S. West Coast.
- On Wednesday morning, tsunami advisories remained in place for the San Francisco Bay area and most of California's coast, along with the coasts of Oregon and Washington.
- In Hawai'i, the tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory. An advisory was also in effect for Alaska.
Context: A tsunami is a wave or series of waves generated by an earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption or large meteor hitting the ocean.
- Tsunamis can travel across open oceans at about 500 miles per hour and slow down to about 30 miles per hour when approaching land. As the waves slow down, they grow in height and currents intensify.
- Tsunamis are among the most infrequent of Earth's natural disasters, the NOAA said.
By the numbers: As of 2017, there were 100 tsunami events observed in Alaska, resulting in 222 deaths.
- Hawai'i experienced 134 tsunami events, resulting in 293 deaths.
- Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands had 13 tsunami events with 164 deaths.
Threat level: Scientists cannot predict when and where most tsunamis will strike, but warning centers know which earthquakes are likely to generate tsunamis.
- "Once a tsunami is detected, the warning centers use tsunami forecast models to forecast wave height and arrival times, location and amount of flooding, and how long the tsunami will last," per the NOAA.
Go deeper: Tsunami waves lash Hawai'i, U.S. West Coast, Japan, Russia after 8.8M quake
