No Tsunami Expected On West Coast From Sea Quake

Federal experts say a magnitude-7.9 quake in the South Pacific is not expected to produce a tsunami along the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia or Alaska.

The quake occurred at 10:48 a.m. PDT Tuesday in the Samoa Islands region.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center says it was a strong earthquake but no tsunami warning, watch or advisory is in effect.

Tsunami awareness is much higher on the West Coast since a 2004 quake off Indonesia spawned a surge that killed more than 200,000 people. Signs pointing out tsunami evacuation routes are now common in coastal California.