Tsunami waves cross the Hawaiian Islands

HONOLULU (KHNL-KGMB-HawaiiNewsNow) – At 1:50 PM Saturday, scientists at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center canceled the tsunami warning after all of Hawaii had braced for the worst for a tense 13 hours. Governor Linda Lingle, speaking from the state Civil Defense headquarters at Diamond Head crater, announced that there were no reports of significant property damage or loss of life.

The tsunami waves began hitting the Hawaiian Islands exactly at the time that scientists predicted, though without the ferocity that may island residents feared. The first indications of the tsunami appeared at around 11:30 AM Saturday as the ocean began dramatically receding from Hilo Bay.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that the sea level rose almost three feet at Hilo, surging and receding numerous times at intervals of about 20 minutes. No injuries or property damage were reported at Hilo, on the eastern coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Much of the areas in Hilo's inundation zone are now parklands, the city having been devastated by deadly tsunamis in 1946 and 1960.

At Kawaihae Harbor, on the Kona side of Hawaii, the tsunami was measured at almost two feet high. On Maui, at the main harbor of Kahului, the ocean rose over three feet, the highest surge recorded in the islands.

On the island of Oahu, police shut down dozens of major thoroughfares. Many businesses and institutions closed down and most scheduled events were canceled. Thousands of people gathered on hilltops and mountainsides to watch for the waves to come in. Thousands of tourists were ‘vertically evacuated' to higher floors of high-rise hotels at Waikiki Beach.

Time-lapse video of water receding in Hilo

"Let's all be careful out there!"

SCREEN CAPTURE

Of the USGS/Google Earth SHAKE MAP showing the affected area. Obviously it expanded well beyond the artificial truncated parameters set for the display:

"Let's all be careful out there!"

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U.S.G.S. DETAILS

Received this e-mail from a friend in Kihei:

Tsunami!!!!!!!!!
Aloha from Tsumani Land!!!!!

Hi friends and family,
Just a quick note to let you all know that the Hawaiian Islands will probably be hit with a 6' Tsunami wave starting around 11:20 am on the Big Island. I am located on the South side of Maui in the area known as Kihei. Where I live is just above the inundation zone, as it is called. I live down stairs and am making plans to evacuate to the upstairs around 11am HST. Don who lives upstairs have been through these things before and just doesn't think we are in any danger here. Just in case I will take my electronics and important papers etc. up stairs as in the event something comes I am sure my apartment would be flooded.
Anyway, people are already evacuating even though there is no order to do that. Gas stations and supermarkets are very busy with long lines out the door and into the streets. no sense of panic. Most people on the Big Island in hilo are most at risk because of the shape of Hilo Bay makes Tsunamis quite destructive there.
So far so good, all is well at this time of writing to you 8:23am HST.
I will keep you all posted.
I have attached some pics to document my preparations for this event.
Aloha!!!!
Robert

"Let's all be careful out there!"