For the second time in two months, residents and emergency officials around the Pacific rim of the United States were put on alert about a potential tsunami after a Russian earthquake.

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia, prompting close monitoring in Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast. But no tsunami waves were detected along the remote island chain and the tsunami advisory was canceled.

The National Tsunami Warning Center had issued the advisory, the second highest level tsunami warning, for the Western Aleutian Islands between Amchitka Pass and Attu. Residents and those with interests near the water were advised to "stay out of the water, away from beaches and waterways."

In Hawaii, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu issued an alert saying it was "too early" to determine if there is a threat to the state. The center advised that if there was a "tsunami threat to Hawaii, the earliest it would begin would be 2:51 p.m. HST."

Tsunami watch

An all-clear was issued in Hawaii as well. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center determined there was "no threat to Hawaii from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia."

"There is no risk for a destructive tsunami anywhere along the U.S. West or Canadian Coastline," the National Weather Service said.

The tsunami center said "no destructive tsunami" was recorded, and no tsunami observations were available to report from Alaska. However, officials there advised people along the coast not to re-occupy hazards zones until local emergency officials say it is safe to do so.

A forecast from the Japan Meteorological Agency advised its residents that slight sea level changes were possible from the quake along Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. However no tsunami warnings or tsunami advisories were in effect.

What is Attu known for?

Attu, 1,500 miles from Anchorage and about 460 miles east of the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, is the most remote island in Alaska.

The people of Attu suffered tragedy and death during World War II. The Japanese occupied the island in June 1942. The Indigenous Peoples of Attu were captured by the Japanese and taken to Otaru, Japan, the National Park Service said. On May 12, 1943, the U.S. military launched an effort to retake the island. After a 17-day battle with significant casualties on both sides, the U.S. reclaimed the island.

The people of Attu were held as prisoners for the duration of the war, and many died from malnutrition and starvation. When the prisoners finally returned from Japan, the park service said, they were not allowed to go back to Attu. The U.S. military established a base, but abandoned the island in 2010, when the Coast Guard closed its station.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Magnitude 7.8 earthquake hits Russia; tsunami advisory issued, then canceled

Reporting by James Powel and Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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