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Tsunami sweeps 5 to sea, rips out Calif. docks

Jaymes Song, Jeff Barnard, The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, March 11, 2011 - 3:51pm

Crescent City, Calif. -- A tsunami swept at least five people watching the waves out to sea Friday and ripped docks out of harbors in California, spreading the destruction of a devastating Japanese earthquake to the shores of the United States.

Four people were rescued from the water in Oregon, but one man who was taking photos in Northern California was still missing Friday afternoon. Coast Guard helicopters searched for him near the mouth of the Klamath River in Del Norte County, Calif., after his two friends made it back to shore.

About 25 miles north, four people were swept off a beach north of Brookings, Ore. Two got out of the water on their own and the others were rescued by law enforcement and fire officials.

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1 missing, 4 rescued as tsunami hits West Coast

Jaymes Song, Mark Niesse, The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, March 11, 2011 - 2:47pm

HONOLULU -- The Coast Guard is searching for a man swept out to sea in Northern California while taking pictures of tsunami waves.

Nearby, authorities in Brookings, Ore., say four people have survived after a tsunami surge swept them off a beach in Curry County and into the sea.

The five were on the beach Friday to watch the waves generated by a massive earthquake in Japan. The Curry County sheriff's department says two were able to get out of the water on their own, and two were rescued by law enforcement and fire officials.

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Marco Garcia/The Associated Press
People watch the water recede from Hobron Harbor in Honolulu on Friday, March 11, 2011. Tsunami waves swamped Hawaii beaches before dawn Friday but didn't cause any major damage after devastating Japan.

Tsunami swamps Hawaii beaches, brushes West Coast

Jaymes Song, Mark Niesse, The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, March 11, 2011 - 12:43pm

HONOLULU -- Tsunami waves swamped Hawaii beaches and brushed the U.S. western coast Friday but didn't immediately cause major damage after devastating Japan and sparking evacuations throughout the Pacific.

Kauai was the first of the Hawaiian islands struck by the tsunami, which was caused by an earthquake in Japan. Water rushed ashore at least 11 feet high near Kealakekua Bay, on the west side of the Big Island, and reached the lobby of a hotel. Flooding was reported on Maui, and water washed up on roadways on the Big Island.

Scientists and officials warned that the first tsunami waves are not always the strongest and said residents along the coast should watch for strong currents and heed calls for evacuation.

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