* Warnings still in place as waves begin to hit Oregon and California
* Surges across Hawaii much lower than expected
Hawaii escaped serious damage today and the U.S. west coast looked likely to follow suit, as the giant waves predicted to inundate beaches after the Japanese earthquake failed to hit.
Waves up to eight-feet high caused some damage in Hawaii, but the surge was much lower than expected and many residents from low-lying areas - who were evacuated last night - were anxious to get back to their homes this morning.
Warnings were in place along much of America's west coast, where the first waves struck near Port Orford, Oregon, shortly before 8.45am PST.
But in Santa Cruz, California, some surfers defied officials and took advantage of the bigger waves.
Waves: Tsunami waters flood the streets in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, after the 8.9 quake struck this morning
Even when the water was sucked back out they stood along the beach and watched the phenomenon, caused by the tsunami spreading out from the enormous earthquake in Japan.
In Hawaii, some residents defied the evacuation and stood on the beach in Honololu and Diamond Head to watch the water recede - revealing the reef - and rush back in again.
Around 100 spectators gathered at Diamond Head, 'oohing' and 'aahing' as the beach was exposed, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports.
At dawn a U.S. Coast Guard plane took to the sky over Hawaii to check for damage. Vessels were damaged and fish were washed up on the coast of Maui, but no serious damage was reported.
In California, where waves are reported to have hit at Santa Monica, surfers gathered on the beach to wait for the best wave.
Joe Adams said: ‘Now that Hawaii is safe, we are not really worried that anything will happen here, just looking forward to seeing if any big waves do come. I imagine a lot of surfers will be excited about this.’
Officials were optimistic the west coast would escape like Hawaii. Brian Shiro of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center when the tsunami reaches the west coast, it will have lost power because of friction with the ocean bed.
But he warned:'Some places in California will see six feet in some cases nine feet. This could certainly be a bad day for people on the beach. If you have a house right on the water... it could be flooded.'
Hotels, buildings and homes were evacuated along the Oregon coast, where the waves first hit the U.S. mainland. Warning sirens blared and people were told to seek higher ground.
Many beaches were closed and surfers were told not to go in the water.
But along the west coast, many people seemed unperturbed by the threat and were going about their daily lives or enjoying watching the surf from the beach.
Sam McAlmond, who lives in Gold Beach, Oregon, told ABC he had decided not to evacuate.
He said: 'This doesn't happen too often. We liked to see it if and when anything happens. We have all of our necessary equipment - fresh water and food. Filled up the tank with gas and there is an escape route.'
Further down the coast in Marina del Rey, California, an LAPD officer, Marian Adams said: 'I am only here because I am on duty, I have just been posted here as a precaution, it is better to be safe than sorry.'
There is a lady over there having a personal training session. I guess she did not want to waste the $50.'
Financial attorney Linda Candler, 56, said: ‘My husband Charles and I come down here every morning for a walk and thought we would see what was going on.
'I’ve got my running shoes on and I am heading east quickly if a big wave comes! But this type of thing happens from time to time. It doesn’t look like it will be too serious.’
Erica Cook, 22, a teacher from Boston who was running on the beach said: ‘I just came to LA yesterday on vacation. I think the whole thing has been over-hyped to be honest.
'I woke up to a load of texts telling me to be careful, but I just wanted to come out for an early morning run and get on with my vacation. I don’t think there is too much to worry about.’
The waves are expected to hit Los Angeles at 8:30am local time, but another, bigger wave is expected two hours later when the tide is higher, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Initial estimates said waves could reach seven feet at Port San Luis Harbor and four feet in Morro Bay. Santa Monica could see 2.8 feet.
The National Weather Service had predicted some of the biggest waves - between six and seven feet - could hit near Crescent City, California.
In Alaska, the tsunami caused a wave of five feet at Shemya in the Aleutian Islands, 1,200 miles south west of Anchorage.
Thousands of residents were evacuated from low-lying areas in Hawaii after warnings were issued at around 10pm last night, so when the waves hit the beaches were deserted.
Water swept over the beach in Waikiki, surging over the break wall but stopping short of the area's high-rise hotels. A dramatic rise and fall at Haleiwa Harbour, Honolulu, left fish in a parking lot.
A seven-feet high wave was reported in Maui, and waves three-feet high were recorded on Oahu and Kauai.
Sensors on the southern side of the island of Hawaii, were wet, suggesting ocean water had come at least 100 feet ashore, officials said.
Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii, said the all-clear was not expected yet - and some waves could still be bigger.
He said: 'We called this right. This evacuation was necessary,There's absolutely no question, this was the right thing to do.'
Dr Fryer said he did not expect to see any significant damage when the sun came up -'but there is going to be some damage, I'm sure.'
He said moorings and piers may have suffered in Kahului Harbour.
According to CNN, officials said they would assess the situation after sunrise and make a decision on whether evacuees could return to their homes.
Last night residents in Hawaii flocked to higher ground after authorities ordered an evacuation of low-lying areas at around 9.30pm local time.
Hotels in Waikiki were almost at full capacity as visitors flocked in for the Honolulu festival. Tourism chiefs ordered a vertical evacuation, with guests moved to higher floors.
Residents were moved via shuttle buses to shelters in schools on higher ground. Panic-buying surged as residents flocked to petrol stations and supermarkets to stock up.
Petrol had run out at some stations by 11pm, with prices soaring on remaining stocks.
Sabrina Skiles, who spent the night at her husband's office in downtown Kahului in Maui, said: 'I've been up all night and I'm supposed to go to work today. I'm waiting to see if I'll be working and if I can get to work.
'They're saying the worst is over right now but we keep hearing reports saying 'don't go anywhere. You don't want to go too soon.'
The Department of Education closed all public schools today, and all Hawaii county offices including parks and recreational facilities are also closed.
Tsunami warnings were issued to coastal areas in the U.S states of Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California.
President Obama, who was born in Hawaii and spent part of his childhood there, said he has asked top officials to 'closely monitor' the situation there and across other Pacific islands.
He said: 'We are asking all our citizens in the affected region to listen to their state and local officials as I have instructed FEMA to be ready to assist Hawaii and the rest of the U.S. states and territories that could be affected.'
He also sent his 'deepest condolences' to the people of Japan, and declared the U.S. is ready to offer the country aid because of the 'unshakeable' bond between the two nations.
He said: 'The United States stands ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial. The friendship and alliance between our two nations is unshakeable, and only strengthens our resolve to stand with the people of Japan as they overcome this tragedy.'
The United States' National Weather Service (NOAA) issued the Tsunami warning earlier today following Japan's devastating earthquake.
The warnings also include Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Central and South America. The coast of North America is not included in the warning.
Tsunami warnings are issued due to the imminent threat of a tsunami. Huge tidal waves could devastate the island which lacks some of the infrastructure to cope with major natural disasters.
Last night, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck Hawaii as aftershocks and tremors from the quake that hit Japan reverberated around the world.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damages from the quake that hit the Big Island about 30 miles southeast of Hilo just before 11 pm yesterday (0900 GMT Friday).
The first waves from the tsunami were expected to hit about 3 am Friday (1300 GMT).
In Hawaii, people stocked up on vital supplies such as food and water while drivers filled their cars with petrol in case they needed to out-run the waves in their cars, as happened in Japan.
Tensions mounted at gas stations as long lines formed with drivers desperate to fill up in time.
Petrol had run out at the Hawaii Kai Chevron gas station by 11pm, aside from premium which was selling at $4.09 a gallon.
Angry drivers honked at each other and yelled as others tried to push in. Chris Veatch told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser: 'I'm just worried about a gas situation. If we get hit by a 12-footer it would wipe this place out and the 76 station up the road, too.'
Jesse Halsey, a friend of the station's owner, said: 'People are obviously concerned about the tsunami and wanted to top off fuel. But because there is no sense of order in terms of lining up to the pump people are getting antsy.'
Mayor Peter Carlisle urged people to stop shopping and stocking up. He said: 'We want them to get out and get safe now.'
He asked residents to conserve water to make sure there will be enough if firefighters need it later on, and asked them to call 911 only for life-threatening emergencies as phone lines are being overwhelmed, and only to use cell phones for planning an evacuation.
He asked residents to stay off the roads and not go to shops or gas stations because line are causing gridlock and hindering the evacuation.
He said: 'Visitors, please follow directions of hotel staff. Do not go out and do things on your own. Follow the instructions of these people. Those of us in Hawaii are aware of this type of problem. We follow their directions, you should, too.'
Tourists were urged to follow residents and evacuate to higher ground. Almost all of Waikiki is in the evacuation zone - and it's full of tourists, there for the Honolulu festival. Hotels are almost at full capacity.
Momi Akimseu, Hawaii Tourism Authority communications manager, said: 'We have 75 to 80 per cent occupancy and strong visitor arrivals from Japanese.
'Hotels are making arrangements to provide safe havens for all guests.'
A command centre was set up at the Hawaii Convention Center to arrange the evacuation of tourists.
Mike McCartney, president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Association, said hotels across the state are telling guest to move to higher floors.
He said: 'We are implementing vertical evacuation. We are in touch with all hotels and they have an evacuation process in order.'
The manager of the Waikiki Grand Hotel, just 600ft from the beach, said the hotel's generator was below the waterline.
He told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser: 'I'm worried about the generator. Fill the tubs with water. If a tsunami hits and you don't have water it could be days.
'The sad thing is that if you don't drown out there, you could die of thirst inside.'
Visitors at the hotel were packing up and preparing to leave if they had to, as police sirens and emergency warnings filled the air urging people to move above the fifth floors.
James Carso, a visitor from Phoenix, said:'We think we're safe. We'll be alright.'
One of his friends, Mike Kanuk of Santa Cruz, California, said: 'It's my first tsunami warning. I feel pretty confident that this building will stand, but it looks pretty serious.'
At another hotel, the Lotus, manager Ward Almeida said guests on the lower floors were being moved to higher ones. He said:'Our guests have been pretty calm about everything. We're just playing it by ear.'
One resident, Fred Lau of Punchbowl drove to the Kailua Safeway to stock up. He told the Star-Advertiser: 'At first, there was no water left to sell - it was almost gone - but then a palette of water bottle packs came out, so I was able to pick up a couple.
'But now I've been in line waiting to pay for about a half-hour.'
Hosanna Folk of Pauoa Valley also drove to Safeway, buying supplies for her family. She said: 'I have a family with five kids, so I have more to be concerned about.
'I have a lot here because - who knows? - it could be a week, a month, before things go back to normal if we're hit by a tsunami. I don't want to be stuck without anything.'
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warned that the tsunami is currently higher than some Pacific islands which it could wash over.
Chip McCreary, a tsunami warning centre director, said tsunami waves have the potential to swamp coastal areas of all Hawaii's islands.
'What these waves look like is an elevation of sea level, where the sea level will rise above its normal level and stay high for 10 or 15 minutes before it starts to recede,' he said.
'As a result of this, in a tsunami wave, that water can flood the coast line and be a hazard to people and buildings on the coast.'
The warnings cover an area stretching the entire western coast of the United States and Canada from the Mexican border to Chignik Bay in Alaska. In Alaska, a dozen small communities along the Aleutian Island chain were on alert.
'Everyone in that area knows, when you feel it, move - don't wait for a siren,' said John Madden, director of the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The largest affected town is Unalaska, population about 4,000.
Residents in coastal areas across the Pacific from Hawaii to Guam were ordered to evacuate to shelters and higher ground.
A spokesman for the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said: 'We're preparing for the worst and we're praying for the best,'
'Tsunami waves, because of their long length, they wrap around our islands very efficiently,' he said
Readings have come in from deep ocean gauges deployed since the 2004 tsunami in Banda Acha in Japan and around Wake Island.
The Northern Mariana Islands, another U.S. territory, was also under the warning, and the Hyatt Regency in Saipan has moved guests to three highest floors of the seven-story hotel.
Hotel spokesman Luis Villagomez said the hotel had received about three tsunami warnings in the last year but no serious damage.
Tsunami warnings are issued due to the imminent threat of a tsunami.
The quake struck at 2.46pm local time and was followed by five powerful aftershocks within about an hour, the strongest measuring 7.1.
The US Geological Survey upgraded the strength of the first quake to a magnitude 8.9, while Japan's meteorological agency measured it at 8.4.
The meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning for the entire Pacific coast of Japan. NHK was warning those near the coast to get to safer ground.
The quake struck at a depth of six miles (10km), about 80 miles (125km) off the eastern coast, the agency said. The area is 240 miles (380km) north-east of Tokyo.
Taiwan's coast guard has begun evacuating its east coast, which is not heavily populated. Waves about 50 cm high are expected to reach the island's north and east coasts later on Friday, its central weather bureau said.
Hawaii's civil defence agency ordered all coastal areas, including the main tourist hub Honolulu, evacuated by 2 am local time (1200 GMT). The quake is due to hit at 3am.
Ocean waves up to 6 feet (2 meters) above normal sea level were detected by deep-ocean gauges near Wake island, Midway and Guam in the North Pacific, said Chip McCreary, a spokesman for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.
Papua New Guinea has issued a tsunami watch for its northern provinces effective at 9 pm local time (1100 GMT).
'By the time it reaches our shores, the wave will be between half a metre and one metre high,' said Andrew Oaego, officer in charge of operations at the National Disaster Centre in Port Moresby.
Leaving: Hotel guests from the Moana Surfrider hotel in Honolulu cling to their possessions after being evacuated in the early hours of the morning
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