An 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia’s far east triggered tsunami watches and advisories in Hawaii, Alaska, and the entire Pacific coast of the United States. There were some mild coastal surges, but no major damage was reported.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks with Melanie Michalak, associate professor and chair of the geology department at Cal Poly Humboldt, about what California and Oregon experienced and why earthquakes can trigger tsunamis.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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