Tsunami Damages California, Hawaii Coasts

Updated from 12:05 p.m. EST with information regarding the damage in Northern California.

NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- A tsunami triggered by the magnitude 8.9 earthquake in Japan caused significant damage to several coastal towns in Northern California.

With a tsunami warning in effect for Northern California, two men watch the waves at San Francisco's Ocean Beach on Friday.

The massive earthquake is one of the biggest ever recorded in Japan. The death toll has risen to above 1,000, according to reports, and hundreds are missing. The Japanese Defense Ministry recently reported that at least 1,800 homes have been destroyed.

Strong waves reaching as high as 6 feet crashed into Crescent City, Morro Bay and other parts of Northern California, causing major flooding and damage along the coast, the Los Angeles Times reported.

About 35 boats were "crushed" by surging waters in the Crescent City harbor, located near the Oregon border, LA Times reported, citing local residents, while most of the docks were destroyed. Santa Cruz residents were reporting that the waves rocked boats and damaged docks on the coast.

Officials warned California residents that waves may be higher later in the day as high tide approaches.

There haven't been any reports of damage on California's southern coast and no injuries or deaths have been reported.

A tsunami warning was issued for Hawaii and the entire California coast shortly after a massive earthquake slammed Japan's northeastern coast on Friday.

Waves reached up to 7 feet in a few areas and caused some damage to piers and boats at Keehi Small Boat Harbor near Sand Island, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

The lobby in King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel was under a foot of water and several canoes in the harbor were destroyed.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center recently downgraded its warning to a moderated localized warning.

While Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle and Kaua'i Mayor Bernard Carvalho both issued an "all clear" for their islands by Friday morning, officials are still asking residents to stay out of the ocean and away from the shorelines for the remainder of the day.

High waves started hitting the Hawaiian coast on Friday morning as the state's citizens brace themselves for wave surges that may reach up to 6 feet to 7 feet in height.

"The City and County of Honolulu has been impacted by a tsunami," Honolulu's Department of Emergency Management said in an issued press release. "Be aware that inundation effects could continue for several hours. Do not go near coastal areas."

All of the main airports on Maui, Kauai and Big Island, Hawaii's three largest islands, were shut down as a precaution on Friday as the U.S. Navy ordered all vessels in Pearl Harbor to be prepared in the event of a necessary emergency rescue mission.

Orange County, Calif., authorities began closing down beaches at 8 a.m. EST in anticipation of the tsunami. Officials were expecting a surge of about 2 feet and were urging all surfers and fishing boats to stay out of the water, Fox News reported.

"Tsunamis can be dangerous for many hours after arrival, and the initial wave is not necessarily the largest," the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said.

An emergency warning system announcement for a tsunami warning was broadcast throughout the San Francisco Bay Area where waves were expected to begin arriving after 8 a.m. local time, or 11 a.m. EST.

The U.S. Coast Guard does not expect any major damage or flooding along the coast, but it has warned boat owners to secure all mooring lines at the docks and in marinas, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"Significant widespread inundation is not expected for areas under advisory," Coast Guard officials said on Friday. "Currents may be hazardous to swimmers, boats, and coastal structures, and may continue for several hours after the arrival of the initial wave."

Officials in Los Angeles County didn't close the beaches. The area is expecting a surge of 3 feet due to the tsunami.

Oregon Emergency Management advised the state's coastal residents to evacuate immediately after the quake in Japan triggered tsunami warnings for most of the Pacific basin.

Most schools along the coast have been closed and the National Guard was on standby.

-- Written by Theresa McCabe in Boston.

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