Hours after a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck near the Russian coast, becoming one of the strongest tremors ever recorded, tsunami waves arrived in Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast following efforts to get hundreds of thousands away from coastlines and to higher ground.

A tsunami warning has been issued for Hawaii, where waves set off by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia’s remote Far East are expected to arrive after 7 p.m. local time.

A magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami waves that reached Hawaii and the West Coast. While initial warnings prompted evacuations, most were downgraded to advisories as wave heights were less than initially feared.

Hawaii officials say the timing of the tsunami warning and evacuation orders following this week's massive earthquake off Russia helped make for severe traffic congestion in some areas