Tsunami alerts issued for Hawaii, Alaska, West Coast after massive earthquake hits Russia

Tsunami alerts were triggered for Hawaii and Alaska on Tuesday night after a massive 8.7 earthquake struck off of Russia's east coast. 

Hawaii was placed under a Tsunami watch while an investigation into the threat is being conducted, with forecasters predicting any waves that rock the islands would hit around 7:17 p.m. Hawaiian time, which is 1:17 a.m. Eastern.

Islanders have been ordered to evacuate coastal areas and seek higher ground, ABC News reported, and destructive waves are expected. 

The National Weather Service said all coastal areas are at risk because tsunamis wrap around islands. 

"The danger can continue for many hours after the initial wave as subsequent waves arrive. Tsunami heights cannot be predicted and the first wave may not be the largest," the NWS said in an alert.

Alaska's Aleutian Islands have been placed under a tsunami advisory, which means that some waves are likely. 

The United States' West Coast, consisting of California, Oregon and Washington, is also under a tsunami watch while the threat is being monitored and evaluated.

The earthquake hit 85 miles east of Russia's Kamchatsky Pennisula, according to Fox Weather.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.