No, the tsunami alert from the big Russian earthquake does NOT include West Seattle

| Earthquake | West Seattle news

Since several people have asked about this, we’re writing one of those “here’s what’s NOT happening” stories about the tsunami alert that followed the 8.7 magnitude Russian earthquake four hours ago. The alert covers the open-ocean coast and part of the North Sound, but NOT us down here in central Puget Sound. You can find out more through the National Weather Service‘s website – for one, it has a map clearly showing the areas covered by the alert. And if you click through to alert details like these, you’ll see that even in the areas that might be affected, it’s not the cliché wall of water. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be dangerous – currents and surges are often what bring the danger.

ADDED: The quake’s magnitude has been revised upward to 8.8.

Appreciative July 29, 2025 (9:51 pm)

Thank you for this what’s NOT happening post!!

Lisa Barton July 30, 2025 (6:58 am)

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Thank you for the WHAT’S NOT post. My son and his wife recently moved to Seattle from Virginia, and I was imagining the worst!

CarDriver July 30, 2025 (9:24 am)

We are within the geologist’s window for the Cascade Subduction Zone to have a quake just as big or bigger. It would cause catastrophic damage to Seattle.

WSB July 30, 2025 (10:11 am)

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Yes, we are. Could happen in our lifetimes, might not. But as we’ve written hundreds of times in these 18 years of WSB, BE READY.
But that’s not what this story is about. Good reminder for a separate preparedness story, though! Ring of Fire quakes in particular are wake-up calls …
- CarDriver July 30, 2025 (11:30 am)
  
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  WSB. Yes, a reminder about being prepared for the “big one” would be good. However, in reality very few will ever be. I went in Admiral Safeway the day after the Nisqually quake. Clerks were laughing when I mentioned that there was no water or batteries. They said that AFTER the quake hit people rushed in(many in a panic) to get their emergency supplies.
  - WSB July 30, 2025 (1:04 pm)
    
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    Yes, of course they did, and you’ve brought this up before. My memory goes all the way back to shopping with my family after the 1971 San Fernando Valley earthquake and seeing the bottles of water emptied from the shelves (which I’m sure I’ve mentioned before too) … If only ONE person heeds the preparedness info now, that’s great, that’s one more person/family/household prepared. I just had a chat with a local preparedness advocate so story fodder is in the works – TR
    - Natty RAD! July 30, 2025 (7:48 pm)
      
      A fellow 818 friend! What part of the SFV do you hail from? I was born and raised in Sylmar. Wasn’t born yet for the 1971 earthquake but I was for the Northridge earthquake in the 90’s. That aside, a good rule of thumb for these types of advisories is a watch versus a warning. I used to panic when I’d get the notifications until I Googled the difference. It will put your mind at ease.
    - WSB July 30, 2025 (8:08 pm)
      
      What was North Hollywood and is now Valley Village, 1966-1968, then Studio City until fall 1971 (the quake was part of the “last straw” for my mom, following a house fire we had in summer 1970). My late husband and I also experienced the Northridge quake – we were in SoCal because a friend got married just the night before. We were living in Seattle by then and so less than a decade later we were here for the Nisqually quake too. – TR