LIHU‘E — A cruise ship in Nawiliwili caught in a tsunami-warning situation would ride out the wave or waves out at sea, then return for any passengers and crew left behind, said the state harbormaster. The call to leave or
LIHU‘E — A cruise ship in Nawiliwili caught in a tsunami-warning situation would ride out the wave or waves out at sea, then return for any passengers and crew left behind, said the state harbormaster.
The call to leave or stay in the harbor is made by the U.S. Coast Guard captain of the port, which in the case of Nawiliwili Harbor is someone on O‘ahu, said Bob Crowell, state Department of Transportation Harbors Division Nawiliwili harbormaster.
When the undersea earthquake struck off Samoa last week and generated a tsunami, a tsunami watch was posted for the Hawaiian Islands and the Princess Cruises ship Pacific Princess was in port at Nawiliwili.
That watch ended up being canceled, as the threat of a tsunami impacting Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i was judged to not be a significant threat. Therefore, no decision was made to send the Pacific Princess seaward.
