Tsunami’s first effects in Hawaii expected to be on Kauai coast
The effects of the tsunami waves are initially expected to appear on the coast of Kauai, followed by the Big Island about 20 to 30 minutes later, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said.
“These massive waves can wrap around the island shore, so impacts may occur at any point along the coast. AVOID THE AREA,” the agency said in a post on X.
Buildings damaged after 8.8-magnitude earthquake hits Russia
Witness videos captured the powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the far east. The earthquake triggered a tsunami alert, with the first wave hitting the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk.
Japan remains under tsunami warning, official says
Japan’s meteorological agency said tsunami warnings remained in place since waves were still being observed and asked those in the warning zones to remain in safe locations.
Agency official Masashi Kiyomoto said each wave cycle was lasting about an hour and that there had been two to three cycles so far. He said it was too early to say whether the waves were getting larger with each cycle.
Based on similar-sized earthquakes in the region in the past, the tsunamis could last for about a day, he said.
Visitors in high-rise hotels need to head to higher floors, Hawaii tourism chief says
Hawaii’s tourism chief tonight said visitors in high-rise hotels and resorts should head to higher floors where possible.
James Kunane Tokioka, state director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, called such a move “vertical evacuation.”
“Properties along the coastline are being asked to evacuate vertically, four floors and above,” he said, meaning tourists should be at least on the fourth floor before any waves arrive.
The Waikiki coast in Honolulu is packed with high-rise hotels and resorts.
Japan reports biggest waves so far
Japan, where the earthquake was barely felt, has reported the biggest tsunami waves so far, measuring 60 centimeters, or almost 2 feet.
One arrived at 1:11 p.m. local time (12:11 a.m. ET) in the town of Hamanaka in the southern region of the northernmost island of Hokkaido, according to Japan’s meteorological agency. The other was at 1:03 p.m. at Kuji port in Iwate Prefecture on Japan’s main island of Honshu.
Earlier, Japan reported waves on Honshu and Hokkaido of about 12 to 20 inches. Officials had said waves could reach as high as about 3 feet.
Coast Guard orders all commercial vessels to evacuate commercial ports in Hawaii
The Coast Guard has ordered all commercial vessels at commercial ports in Hawaii to evacuate.
In a post on X, the agency attributed the order to the captain of the Port of Honolulu. It also said all harbors in the state have been closed to incoming traffic.
In its advice about responding to a tsunami, the federal website ready.gov says, “If you are in a boat, go out to sea.”
Damage along Hawaii’s coastlines expected
The governor of Hawaii tonight emphasized that tsunami effects could be real and costly, as potent ocean pulses from the 8.8-magnitude quake east of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula were expected at around 7:17 p.m. local time (1:17 a.m. ET).
Gov. Josh Green said impacts are almost certain. “We do expect damage. We expect significant damage along the coastlines,” he said.
“We pray that we won’t lose any of our loved ones,” he continued.
