LONDON, UK – July 31, 2025 –
A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Pacific coast on Wednesday triggered widespread tsunami warnings across the Pacific Rim, initially causing significant concern for coastal areas in Hawaii and California.
While some initial waves did impact these regions, the threat of a major devastating tsunami has largely passed for the United States, bringing a sigh of relief for residents, including numerous Hollywood celebrities whose multi-million dollar properties were reportedly at risk.
The massive undersea quake, centered near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, generated significant waves that first struck parts of Russia and Japan, causing damage and prompting evacuations. As the waves propagated across the Pacific, Hawaii was placed under a tsunami warning, followed by advisories for the US West Coast, including California.
Initially, fears were high for the opulent beachfront estates of stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sandra Bullock, Paris Hilton, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Courteney Cox, Mel Gibson, and Robert Downey Jr. Many of these celebrities own homes in highly vulnerable coastal enclaves like Malibu, Montecito, and Santa Monica in California, and luxurious properties in Hawaii.
In Hawaii, residents in coastal areas were urged to seek higher ground, and sirens blared as a precaution. Oprah Winfrey, whose expansive Maui estate was among those mentioned in advisories, had a spokesperson confirm that her private road was immediately opened to assist with evacuation efforts, refuting earlier rumors of its closure.
While Hawaii experienced elevated wave activity, the tsunami advisory for all Hawaiian Islands was officially lifted by Wednesday morning local time, with officials confirming that the islands “had not seen a wave of consequence.”
On the US West Coast, tsunami advisories were issued for California, Oregon, and Washington. While some waves reached California, including San Francisco, their impact was largely below initial fears. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that waves did not pose a significant threat to most of these areas, and advisories for central and southern California were subsequently cancelled.
A low-level tsunami watch, however, remained in effect for parts of Northern California’s coast, near the Oregon border, with warnings of dangerous currents persisting through Thursday morning.
While no major damage to celebrity homes has been reported, the incident served as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of coastal properties to natural disasters. Many of these high-value estates, particularly in California, have also faced threats from wildfires and mudslides in recent years.
As of Thursday morning, the immediate threat to US coasts has largely subsided, although tsunami warnings have been upgraded and remain in effect for parts of South America’s Pacific coast. Emergency services continue to monitor the situation, urging residents in affected areas to remain vigilant for any lingering strong currents or minor sea level fluctuations.
CJ Global – Castle Journal Newspapers will continue to provide updates on this developing story.
