While we haven't seen any dramatic effects following a tsunami advisory that's still in affect for the bay area, experts say, even a tidal swing of a foot or two, can create dangerous currents along local beaches. Robert Weiss, professor of natural hazards at Virginia Tech explains.

Virginia

Recent tsunami activity along the US west coast has raised concerns about coastal safety, even though the observed wave increases have been relatively modest. Robert Weiss, a professor of natural hazards at Virginia Tech, explained that while the event was significant, it did not reach the scale of historic tsunamis like the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster. 

Weiss emphasized the importance of waiting for official guidance before assuming the danger has passed, as larger waves can sometimes follow the initial surge. He also noted that tsunamis can cause lasting changes to coastlines, including erosion and altered underwater topography, which can affect ports and marinas. Public awareness and preparedness remain crucial, as research shows that communities often forget the risks of such rare but impactful events.

The science and strategy behind tsunami warnings

North Northwest facing beaches are at highest risk of damage in a scenario such as the one that started unfolding yesterday afternoon Even though we haven't seen massive waves along the northern California coast an increase of just a foot or two in tides can create danger Let's get some more insight by turning to Robert Weiss professor of natural hazards at Virginia Tech your focus Your research really focuses on how tsunamis reshape coastlines. Let's start with what we're seeing this morning Is this about what you expected when you first heard the news yesterday? Yes, this is a very very large earthquake and the resultant tsunami is what we expect Is the worst of it truly over? I? Would not say that it is sometimes larger waves can emerge because waves have this unfortunate Characteristics to reflect such as you see here. And so we really need to wait for the officials to give the all clear What do you expect? You know today's and yesterday's events to do when it comes to possibly having a lasting impact along the coastline well, what we can expect is probably erosion of sand and beaches and Also, what is oftentimes not talked about are the currents that are developed developed in particular imports and marinas that can have huge impacts On those facilities and infrastructure in what way? Well, they can move they can destroy so they can move boats around but also change the topography underwater so that Water passages can be clocked up and stuff like that. So so we really need to wait a few days to see What's happening and let the Pacific Ocean to calm down? So, I don't know how long you've been doing this work But can you compare this event what we saw in the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 Chile in 2010 in Japan in 2011? So accidentally the 2004 tsunami was the starting point of my career back in the day So that was 20 years ago So so while this earthquake was among the top 10 of the largest earthquake that that ever happened or that we recorded the the Event that really blew everything out of the water was the 2004 event, right? That was like we saw a 30 meter Sorry 30 feet waves, you know across the Indian Ocean This is not what we see here but this is a significant event and it it probably competes with the events of 2009 and some more and and other Similarly sized earthquakes. I remember what happened in 2004 The images were devastating and they had such an impact on us here in the United States so many years later Do you think people treat the threat of a tsunami as seriously as they should especially where we are along the west coast? Yeah, I wish I could say that they would but research shows that these kind of events are very very quickly quickly forgotten And so we really need to make sure that we do a better job preparing the public for these kind of events and keep those Keep these rare events. They are rare, you know In people's mind does the change to the coastline have an impact on the wildlife that lives there? If the event would have been bigger certainly, especially on the beaches and in these dunes that existed at often nesting grounds for for birds and other Wildlife such as You know tortoises and stuff like that. So yeah, there are definitely effects and we are studying also the long-term effect of These kind of events that they may have in the future like five years five years down the line, for example All right. Well, we appreciate your time and your expertise. We'll have to leave it here Robert Weiss professor of natural hazards at Virginia Tech Thanks again

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 31 in a bid to salvage Gaza truce talks and tackle a humanitarian crisis in the enclave, where a global hunger monitor has warned that famine is unfolding.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Trump's envoy meets Netanyahu for Gaza aid, ceasefire push

Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of euros of vital Western aid as Russia's all-out war grinds on.

Kyiv

Ukraine approves law to restore independence of anti-graft watchdogs

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as more countries join the call to recognize a Palestinian state in September. CBS News' Robert Berger has the latest.

Trump envoy in Israel as Canada joins call on Palestinian statehood

President Donald Trump says the U.S. will charge a 15% tariff on imports from South Korea as part of a deal that eases, for now, tension with a top-10 trading partner and key Asian ally.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump says U.S. will set 15% tariff on South Korean imports

U.S. President Donald Trump slapped a 50% tariff on most Brazilian goods to fight what he has called a "witch hunt" against former President Jair Bolsonaro, but softened the blow by excluding sectors such as aircraft, energy and orange juice from heavier levies.

Rio de Janeiro

Trump hits Brazil with tariffs, sanctions but key sectors excluded

Widespread damage from tsunami waves after one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded appears to have been largely avoided. Experts say this event should be used to gauge disaster preparedness for a more serious situation in the future.

Okinawa

Tsunami damage less severe than feared after Russian earthquake

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will recognize a Palestinian state later this year if the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, meets certain conditions.

Ottawa

Canada to recognize Palestinian state in September if conditions met

Australia said on Wednesday (July 30) it will add YouTube to sites covered by its world-first ban on social media for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned video-sharing site and potentially setting up a legal challenge.

Canberra

Australia expands teen social media ban to YouTube

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (July 30) the United States will impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from India, as well as an unspecified penalty for buying Russian weapons and oil, on Aug. 1.

Trump says U.S. to hit India with 25% tariff starting August 1

Mourners flooded the streets of Birmingham to celebrate the life of rock-and-roll legend Ozzy Osbourne during his funeral procession in the United Kingdom. Mark Savage, a music reporter at the BBC, a CBS News partner, joins with more details.

Birmingham

Ozzy Osbourne fans flood Birmingham streets to mourn late music icon

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters before departing from Scotland that Jeffrey Epstein poached workers from his Mar-a-Lago spa. Trump mentioned Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's most vocal accusers, in his latest remarks.

Trump says Epstein 'stole' young women from Mar-a-Lago spa

Owdeh Hathaleen, a 31-year‑old Palestinian activist, teacher, and filmmaker behind the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was shot dead by an Israeli settler near the village of Umm al‑Khair in the South Hebron Hills.

Palestinian activist killed by Israeli settler in West Bank

A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami waves of up to 16 feet nearby, and sparked evacuation orders in Japan, Hawaii and across the Pacific on Wednesday (July 30).

Hawaii

Tsunami reaches Hawaii after huge quake shakes Russia's Far East

The U.N. General Assembly brought high-level officials together to promote a two-state solution to the decades-old Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel and the United States are boycotting the two-day meeting, co-chaired by the foreign ministers of France and Saudi Arabia

New York

Israel and U.S. boycott UN Summit for two-state solution

With numerous countries facing an Aug. 1 trade agreement deadline, officials in the Trump administration say China could get an extension while negotiations continue.

Trump officials suggest potential tariff truce with China

Police say the man who shot and killed four people in a New York City office building before he took his own life had a "documented mental health history." Mayor Eric Adams says he may have been targeting the National Football League (NFL).

Manhattan gunman had 'documented mental health history'

Jeffrey Epstein-associate Ghislaine Maxwell is offering to testify before Congress in exchange for concessions like full immunity. CBS News Department of Justice reporter Jake Rosen has more.

Ghislaine Maxwell offers to testify before Congress

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday (July 29) Britain was prepared to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly unless Israel takes a number of steps to improve life for Palestinians.

London

UK to recognize Palestinian state unless Israel takes action

Russia launched overnight air strikes on over 70 Ukrainian cities, killing more than 20 people, according to President Zelenskyy. A pregnant woman died near a hospital in the southeast, while a prison strike killed at least 17.

Ukraine Invasion

Deadly Russian air raids hit Ukraine as Trump warns of sanctions

For the first time, human rights groups inside Israel are accusing their own government of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel insists it is targeting Hamas, not civilians—despite nearly 60,000 Palestinian deaths since the war began almost two years ago.

Rights groups in Israel accuse country of genocide

As Gaza’s crisis worsens, France is advocating for a two-state solution at a UN conference co-chaired by the French foreign minister. The meeting follows President Macron’s announcement that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state in September.

France leads UN talks on Israel-Palestine two-state solution

Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was found guilty of bribery and witness tampering in an unprecedented trial that has shaken the country.

Bogotá

Ex-Colombian president Uribe convicted of witness tampering, bribery

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev posted on social media that President Trump's deadline push for a ceasefire with Ukraine is "a threat and a step towards war."

Moscow

Russian official calls Trump's ceasefire deadline 'a threat'

Ukraine says Russia's overnight air strikes hit a prison in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast, killing at least 17 people. Another 35 were injured. Authorities say the attacks destroyed the jail buildings and damaged several nearby houses.

Zaporizhzhia

Russian air strikes hit a prison in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, 17 killed

Russia launched yet another attack on Ukraine overnight, with more than 300 drones and seven missiles. While most of the barrage was intercepted, the attacks prompted President Trump to give his Russian counterpart an ultimatum.

Trump gives Putin new deadline to end Ukraine war

A gunman killed at least one police officer and shot a handful of other people Monday in the heart of New York City. CBS News New York has the latest details.

Gunman kills police officer, wounds others in Midtown Manhattan

The suspect in the Michigan Walmart stabbing attack that injured 11 people over the weekend pleaded not guilty Monday to terrorism and assault charges.

Traverse City

Suspect pleads not guilty in Walmart stabbing attack

The U.S. Department of Justice says it took down child abuse websites that had more than 120,000 members and contained millions of files. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane explains how the arrest of one suspect nicknamed "Boss" was a huge priority for the FBI.

U.S. Justice Dept. shuts down four child abuse websites

Five people, including security guards, were killed by a gunman at Bangkok's Or Tor Kor market on Monday. The shooter, who injured two others, later killed himself, according to authorities.

Bangkok

Gunman kills five at busy Bangkok fresh food market

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an “unconditional” ceasefire starting at midnight, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on July 28, a significant breakthrough to resolve five days of deadly border clashes.

Breakdown