Alerts for a potential tsunami were issued for coastlines in North America, Hawaii, Russia and Japan after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck in the North Pacific Ocean off Russia’s northern Pacific coast, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System, which is part of the National Weather Service.

One of the world’s strongest earthquakes struck Russia’s Far East early on Wednesday, an 8.8-magnitude tremor that set off a tsunami in the northern Pacific region and prompted warnings for Alaska, Hawaii and south toward New Zealand.

Waves and strong currents are expected to continue Wednesday for Washington but it appears we've escaped largely unscathed.