Tsunami warnings issued for Hawaii and Pacific, evacuations underway
In Chile, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake devastated cities, sparking fires and collapsing buildings and bridges. The death toll is at 147 and is expected to rise. Now, tsunami warnings and watches are in effect for Hawaii and the Pacific region.
According to the NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the entire state of Hawaii is under a tsunami warning; evacuations are underway. The center states that the tsunami could cause damage along all Hawaiian island coastlines and that urgent action must be taken to protect both lives and property.
A tsunami is not a single wave, but a series of waves that can crest between 5 and 15 minutes and may cause extensive flooding to coastal regions. The dangers of tsunamis are not limited to the initial swell but continue as more waves continue. Often, the first wave is not the largest; therefore it is unsafe to be on the beach or in the vicinity of the water during tsunami warnings and watches.
There is no way to accurately termine beforehand the size of tsunami waves as they are unpredictable. Currents remain unstable, deadly, and are extremely dangerous. Tides and surf can impact the strength and force of tsunamis and amplify their devastating power.
A tsunami is expected to hit Hawaii at 11:05 a.m. HST on Saturday, February 27, 2010.
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Shoppers leave a grocery store with their purchases Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, in Honolulu. Hawaii braced Saturday for a potentially damaging tsunami, after a massive earthquake off Chile sent waves across the Pacific Ocean. Some residents stocked up on food and emergency supplies, and topped off their cars' gas tanks. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
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