[Vision2020] Hawaii Braces for Possible Tsunami

[Tom Hansen]

Question:  Is anybody in contact with Sue Hovey?

Courtesy of CNN.

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Panic as Hawaii braces for possible tsunami

(CNN) -- Sirens sounded early Saturday morning across Hawaii, warning
people of a possible tsunami and telling people in coastal areas to
evacuate.

The sirens sounded at 6 a.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) to warn of a tsunami
triggered by a 8.8 earthquake in Chile.

"They're going to sound the sirens to air on the side of caution and make
sure there's enough time to get people out of the evacuation zones, which
are the coastal areas that may be affected," Brian Shiro of the Pacific
Tsuanmi Warning Center said.

Before it had become daylight, boaters in the Kewalo Basin area in
Honolulu were already loading up supplies and were getting ready to take
their boats off shore, CNN affiliate KITV reported.

People rushed to supermarkets to stock up on food, water and other supplies.

"We got lots of water, we got our batteries, we got toilet paper," one
woman told KITV, while she stood in a line with other shoppers and their
carts stuffed with supplies.

Asked if she was scared, another shopper said, "Very, very. We're from
Georgia, so ..."

Businesses in the area said they will be closed all day Saturday, the
affiliate reported.
Video: Tweeting during the quake
Measuring earthquakes
RELATED TOPICS

    * Chile
    * Earthquakes
    * U.S. Geological Survey

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning, the highest
level of a tsunami alert, for the entire Pacific region, including Hawaii
and countries as far away as Russia and Japan.

California and Alaska are under a tsunami advisory.

Several tsunami waves have come ashore along the Chilean coast after the
earthquake, which killed at least 122 people, USGS geophysicist Victor
Sardina said.

He said the largest was recorded at 9 feet near the quake's epicenter.
Another wave, 7.7 feet hit the Chilean town of Talcahuano, according to
Eric Lau of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Video from the town showed one car sitting in a large expanse of water.

The Pacific Tsuanmi Warning Center said experts were possibly expecting 3
to 5 or 6 feet tsunami waves in Hawaii, depending on the location. "It'll
be worse in the harbors and bays," said Shiro.

"Most places, it's not going to be huge."

However, he said all coastlines could be affected. "The tsunami just wraps
around the islands. and all coast lines, whether in front of the wave or
behind the wave, will be at risk," he said.

The earliest estimated arrival for a wave that could affect Hawaii is
11:19 a.m. (4:19 p.m. ET), according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning
Center. Hawaii's Civil Defense Division, citing the warning center, said
the first wave would be at Hilo.

But evacuations of coastal areas were to begin at 6 a.m. (11 a.m.
ET).Outdoor siren systems in each Hawaiian county will sound
simultaneously then to alert residents and visitors to evacuate coastal
areas, the state's Civil Defense Division reported.

"They're going to sound the sirens to air on the side of caution and make
sure there's enough time to get people out of the evacuation zones, which
are the coastal areas that may be affected," Shiro said.

American Red Cross spokesman Jonathan Aiken said the headquarters was
keeping a close eye on Hawaii. Shelters there run by the local government
but are staffed and stocked by the American Red Cross, he said.

Two U.S. military officials told CNN that the military is trying to assess
the threat of a tsunami to Hawaii to decide whether any of its assets
should be moved. No decision has been made yet.

In 1960, a tsunami triggered by an earthquake on South America's west
coast, destroyed much of downtown Hilo and killed 61 people, according to
the USGS.

The earthquake had a magnitude between 8.25 and 8.5, the USGS said, and
the waves in Hilo Bay reached 35 feet, but only 3 to 17 elsewhere.

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Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown