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Tsunami advisory canceled for Oregon, Washington coasts

"No additional tsunami danger exists, although some areas may continue to experience strong currents and small sea level changes," NWS Portland tweeted.

PORTLAND, Ore — A tsunami advisory for the Oregon and Washington coasts was canceled late Saturday afternoon after an undersea volcano erupted hours earlier near the Pacific nation of Tonga. 

"No additional tsunami danger exists, although some areas may continue to experience strong currents and small sea level changes," the National Weather Service (NWS) in Portland tweeted at 4:50 p.m. 

On Saturday morning, emergency officials urged people to stay off beaches due to the potential for tsunami waves and potentially hazardous conditions along the entire West Coast.  

Tsunami waves starting arriving along the Oregon and Washington coasts around 8 a.m. 

Officials initially said waves of one to three feet could be expected. However, waves along the Pacific Northwest rarely exceeded one foot throughout the morning.

In Oregon, the largest waves the the National Weather Service reported were 1.2 feet in Port Orford and 0.8 feet in Charleston. People could be seen walking along Cannon Beach near Haystack Rock for much of the afternoon. 

Outside of Oregon, there were some large tsunami waves on the West Coast. Port San Luis in California recorded a wave of 4.0 feet and King Cove in Alaska recorded a 2.8-foot wave.

A tsunami advisory is the second highest form of warning issued for a tsunami. It means waves between one to three feet are expected and that people should stay away from the shore. It's a step below a tsunami warning, which means people should head for higher ground immediately.

MORE: OEM tsunami hazards and preparedness resources page

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