Hawaii is being warned that "urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property." Watches have been ordered for California, Oregon, Washington and a vast swath of Alaska’s coastline.

A tsunami advisory was also issued for the Aleutian Islands in Alaska​, and a tsunami watch was issued for Hawaii, the U.S. National Weather Service said.

Tsunami warning sirens were blaring Tuesday in Honolulu and people were told to move to higher ground after a n 8.7-magnitude earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern coast. Traffic was backed up in some neighborhoods in Honolulu,