Tsunami advisory leads to damage along California coast following volcano in South Pacific

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. -- The National Weather Service issued a tsunami advisory for the California coastline, including Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties on Saturday morning.

Damage reported included an overturned Harbor Patrol boat in Ventura.

Harbor patrol officers said the B-17 flipped after water flooded its back deck. The small rescue boat helped rescue people for 39 years.

Patrol officers also had to tow two boats and a dinghy that floated away from damaged docks in the Ventura Keys.

The advisory also pushed back the start time of the Rincon Classic in Carpinteria.

To make up the time organizers shortened heats from 20 to 15 minutes.

Forecaster and surfer Shawn Quien said, "Marco Farrell from Montecito Pacific Weather Watch gave me a lot of graphs and data that shows we definitely jumped, the water jumped about 3 feet early this morning, and I think through the afternoon we saw some fluctuations of water again about 3 feet. That can damage docks, but it looks like everybody else was pretty fine."

Quien who advanced to the Legend final in the Rincon Classic said the water fluctuated for about 12 minutes.

The advisory recommended people to move off the beach and out of harbors and marinas if you were located in the coastal area. People were also warned to be alert and listen to instructions from local emergency officials.

According to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System, a tsunami advisory (different from a tsunami warning) is issued when a tsunami with the potential to generate strong currents or waves dangerous to those in or very near the water is imminent, expected, or occurring.

For areas under an advisory, the threat of a tsunami may continue for several hours after initial arrival - but significant flooding is not expected.

The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management said strong currents continued off the local coast into Saturday afternoon, and damage to harbors and piers could occur.

The advisory remained in effect until the warning center declares there is no more danger for the coast.

For updates from Santa Barbara County officials, click here.

This tsunami advisory was issued after a large underwater volcano erupted near the Tonga Islands on Friday night.

The sudden explosion sent waves through the shorelines of Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, and flooded coastal roads and properties, according to CNN.

Satellite imagery of the eruption showed a massive ash cloud and shockwaves exploding out of the South Pacific ocean:

For more information on the eruption's impacts across the globe, click here.