• Tsunami warning Tsunami warning A major earthquake struck last night offshore of Crescent City in Northern California. The quake caused tsunami warnings to be issued briefly for virtually all areas of California’s coastline. Low-lying areas of Crescent City were
• Tsunami warning
Tsunami warning
A major earthquake struck last night offshore of Crescent City in Northern California. The quake caused tsunami warnings to be issued briefly for virtually all areas of California’s coastline.
Low-lying areas of Crescent City were being evacuated on Tuesday night.
In Hawai‘i, tsunami experts predicted possible strong currents and a slight change in surface ocean conditions, but expected no major tsunami would hit the Islands.
It was uncertain at press time how much damage has occured in California, if any.
The quake and tsunami warnings at a minimum did hit home in the minds of coastal dwellers on the West Coast and in Hawai‘i due to the day-after-Christmas tsunami that devasted coastal sections of Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The interest and awareness of Kaua‘i residents in being prepared for evacuation in case of a tsunami is now keener than it has been since a tsunami struck the Island in the spring of 1957. That is a good thing. Those who live on the coast of Kaua‘i n especially the North Shore and Eastside n have good reason to be wary of the threat of a tsunami. The 1946, and the 1957, tsunami did major damage at Ha‘ena, Kalihiwai, Kealia, Nawiliwili and other oceanfront areas. This can, and will, happen again, though there is no telling if this will happen in the coming years, decades or even centuries.
The Kaua‘i Civil Defense Agency has done a good job in preparing Kaua‘i for a tsunami. We were the first tsunami-ready Neighbor Island during recent revisions to emergency procedures.
While kama‘aina on Kaua‘i who went through the 1946 and 1957 tsunami know well to be alert when a tsunami threatens, newer generations of Kauaians, and newcomers to the Island, need to be sure they know what to do if a tsunami approaches. Basically, don’t stand along the coast in wonder as the bottom of the ocean appears for hundreds of feet in front of you, head for high ground. Be aware too of the siren warning system. Those living on or near the beach should especially be aware of what to do if a tsunami threat is announced, and have an escape plan in place in advance. Hopefully a locally generated tsunami won’t hit Kaua‘i; the warning might give only 30 minutes to evacuation. Tsunami generated in the far reaches of the Pacific are detected up to five hours out.
Be tsunami aware. This is as important as being hurricane aware.
