CRESCENT CITY, Calif. >> Waves are beginning to surge slightly along California’s northern coast near the Oregon border from a tsunami triggered by the massive earthquake in Japan.

The tide began rising shortly after 7:30 a.m. along beaches in Crescent City, where the tsunami was expected to hit the hardest in California. Officials predicted that waves could reach as high as 7 feet.

Local officials have been activating tsunami warning sirens along the Del Norte and Humboldt county coasts throughout the morning and have urged residents in low-lying areas to seek higher ground.