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Visitors and Oahu residents watch the
water level in the Ala Wai Harbor waiting for the arrival of a tsunami
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, in Honolulu. A tsunami warning has been issued
for Hawaii after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked an island off the
west coast of Canada.
(AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)
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(Reuters) - A tsunami warning prompted by a powerful earthquake off the Canadian coast sent at least 100,000 people fleeing from shore to higher ground in Hawaii late on Saturday, but an evacuation order was canceled after a series of weaker-than-expected waves rolled through the islands.
The warning was downgraded to an advisory - a lower-level alert - shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, though state civil defense authorities said beaches and harbors would remain closed for the time being, and residents were urged to stay away from the water.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, serious flooding or damage, but officials warned that abrupt changes in sea level and strong currents could still pose a hazard to swimmers and boaters.
"The threat may continue for several hours," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in its alert.
While scientists had warned early on that waves as tall 6 feet could occur in places, tsunami wave activity was reported to have peaked at just 2.5 feet at the island of Maui shortly after 10:30 p.m.
"The tsunami arrived about when we expected it should," Senior Geophysicist Gerard Fryer told reporters at a news conference, saying: "I was expecting it to be a little bigger."
Tsunami warning sirens began blaring across the islands at about 8 p.m. as state officials ordered a coastal evacuation, prompting a mass exodus that clogged roadways as motorists fled low-lying areas.
As the forecast arrival time of the tsunami neared, Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle announced that all police and emergency personnel were being pulled out from potential flood zones, leaving anyone defying evacuation orders to fend for themselves. He also urged motorists who remained caught in harm's way due to gridlocked roads to abandon their vehicles and proceed on foot.
"If you are stuck in traffic, you might consider getting out of your car and consider walking to higher ground. You will have to assess your own situation, depending on where you are right now. Right now it is critical," he said.
CANADIAN ORIGINS
Vindell Hsu, a geophysicist at the tsunami warning center, said the evacuation affected an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people who live in Hawaii's coastal zones.
Shelly Kunishige, a spokeswoman for Hawaii State Civil Defense, said evacuation orders were lifted once the tsunami warning was downgraded. But a thorough assessment of flooding or damage could not be made until after daybreak, she said.
The warnings followed a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 that hit Canada's Pacific coastal province of British Columbia late on Saturday [ID:nL1E8LS03H].
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered 123 miles south-southwest of Prince Rupert at a depth of 6.2 miles.
The Earthquakes Canada agency said the temblor was followed by numerous aftershocks as large as magnitude 4.6 and that a small tsunami had been recorded by a deep-ocean pressure sensor.
On Oahu, Hawaii's most populous island, tsunami warning sirens could be heard blaring out across Honolulu, the state capital, prompting an immediate crush of traffic, with many motorists stopping at service stations to top up with gasoline. At movie theaters, films were halted in mid-screening as announcements were made urging patrons to return to their homes.
The last time Oahu had a tsunami warning was after the devastating Japanese earthquake of March 2011.
On Honolulu's famed Waikiki Beach, residents of high-rise buildings were told to move to the third floor or higher for safety.
"I moved my car up the hill, packed up my computer and have my animals all packed and with me," said Staphany Sofos, a resident of the Diamond Head community near Waikiki as she waited word for an all-clear that came several hours later.
Fryer said the tsunami had caught scientists by surprise.
"We thought that the earthquake was on land and when we learned that it was deeper undersea and we gathered more information, we had no choice but to issue a warning," he said.
As residents scrambled to reach higher ground on Oahu, at least four major road accidents were reported by the state Emergency Medical Services. More accidents were reported on the outer islands. But Kunishige said no major injuries were reported.
A tsunami advisory was also posted for coastal areas of northern California and Oregon, where a maximum rise in the sea level was estimated at 6 inches, the National Weather Service said. The agency said no significant flooding was expected.
Hawaii Tsunami Warning Lifted:
Further Information HERE
JUST IN: Hawaii is putting evacuations into place for all coastal areas. Tsunami is directed straight to Hawaii, and is expected through models to be at least 7 feet high. TSUNAMI SIRENS ARE NOW SOUNDING THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF HAWAII.
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NEW UPDATE TO ALSO INCLUDE TSUNAMI WARNING TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON
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| USGS |
UPDATED TO INCLUDE HAWAII:
KITV —
A tsunami warning has been issued for all Hawaiian Islands just after 7 p.m. Saturday following a 7.7 magnitude quake off of the west coast of Canada.
Related
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that the first impact could be seen as soon as 10:28 p.m.
The warning was issued as a result of a large 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck off of Canada's west coast near British Columbia Saturday evening
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Locations: Coastal
areas between and including the north tip of Vancouver Island, British
Columbia to Cape Decision, Alaska (85 miles SE of Sitka); Langara
Island, British Columbia; Sitka, Alaska; Elfin Cove, Alaska; Tofino,
British Columbia; Craig, Alaska; Craig, Alaska
West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
The tsunami Warning continues in effect for the coastal areas of British Columbia and Alaska from the north tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia to Cape Decision, Alaska (85 miles SE of Sitka). - Event details: Preliminary magnitude 7.7 (Mw) earthquake / Lat: 52.900, Lon: -131.900 at 2012-10-28T03:04:10Z Tsunami warnings mean that a tsunami with significant widespread inundation is expected, or occurring. Warnings indicate that widespread dangerous coastal flooding accompanied by powerful currents is possible and may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival.
Langara Island, British Columbia 9:16 PM GMT-07 (51 minutes ago)
Craig, Alaska 8:25 PM GMT-08 (42 minutes ago)
Recommended Actions: A tsunami has been generated which is expected to damage the regions under a warning . People in low-lying coastal areas should be alert to instructions from their local emergency officials. If in a tsunami warning coastal area, move inland to higher ground. Next update and additional information: This message will be updated in 30 minutes or sooner if the situation warrants. The tsunami message will remain in effect until further notice. Refer to the internet site wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov for more information.
MORE INFORMATION:
Andrea Janus, CTV News
Published Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012 12:04AM EDT
Last Updated Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012 1:13AM EDT
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck off the British Columbia coast, triggering a tsunami warning for a region stretching from Vancouver Island to Alaska.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck just after 8 p.m. local time about 139 km south of Masset in the Haida Gwaii region, at a depth of about 17 kilometres.
Earthquakes Canada, which initially gave the quake a magnitude of 7.1, said the quake was felt across much of north-central B.C.
The quake was followed by an aftershock measuring 5.8 magnitude, the USGS said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
The quake triggered a tsunami warning from Environment Canada for a region from the north tip of Vancouver Island up to Alaska.
“If you are in a low lying coastal area you are at risk and must move to higher ground or inland now,” the agency said.
“Do not return until directed to do so. Closely monitor local radio stations for additional information from local authorities.”
In a bulletin issued at 9:10 p.m. PT, the U.S. National Weather Service’s West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said that a “small tsunami” was recorded on a deep ocean pressure sensor.
“Those feeling the earth shake, seeing unusual wave action or the water level rising or receding may have only a few minutes before the tsunami arrival and should move immediately,” the bulletin said.
Emergency Info BC warned that a tsunami is a series of waves that “could last several hours.”
B.C. Premier Christy Clark took to Twitter late Saturday to say the agency is monitoring the situation “and the province is prepared to respond as needed.”
Bruce Presgrave of the USGS said a tsunami warning “is pretty much standard procedure” after a 7.7-magnitude quake.
A tsunami could do more damage to the region than the quake itself, he told CTV News.
“A 7.7 is a strong earthquake, capable of producing significant damage or casualties in populated areas,” Presgrave said.
“But as I’m sure you folks know, Haida Gwaii itself is pretty sparsely populated. And even though the West Coast of northern British Columbia there is fairly sparsely populated, the biggest risk could be if a tsunami has been generated.”
