Reporting from outside of the evacuation zone of Waikiki at 4:30pm February 27, 2010.Tsunami Warnings were called to over 20 countries today.
Tsunami Warnings were called off for Hawaii as I took a nap between 1:30pm-4:30pm. The State of Hawaii called off the warnings just after 1:30pm today.
Pacific Tsunami Center apologized for the inconvenience. But reported everyone was prepared and the PTC would have the same procedure tomorrow if we had warnings again.
There is still some State closures.
I feel asleep last night watching the news about the 8.8 Chile Earthquake and Hawaii was on a Tsunami Advisory. I happened to wake up at 1am as a Hawaii news station came on CNN news reporting a Tsunami the Tsunami advisory and they had updated it to a warning and Hawaii is overdue for big one.
I watched the news for a couple hours. One news station reported that they were only letting people buy 1-2 of certain food. I raced to the 24 hour Safeway grocery store at 2:30am as I seen trucks and people loading up their carts with few cases of water, 2 large bags of rice and cases of saimin (noodles).
I didn't buy rice or saimin. I bought 4 loaves of bread, bananas, apples, a big bag of oranges, cereal, 2 boxes of crackers, 2 cases of water, chips, 4 cans of tuna fish, 2 cans of spam (lol), 2 cans of peaches, St. Patrick cookies (my daughter will like those), Easter chocolate eggs..yum, got to have those, 2 cases of water, 4 more bottles of soda, 2 apple Treetop juices, 2 six packs of Aloha Maid ice tea (these will taste good warm), another package of toilet paper, paper plates and plastic ware. hmm... not 7 days worth of food for 2 people for sure. Need to learn about the hurricane preparedness kit. I got 2 more flash lights and batteries. Safeway ran out of flash lights after I got mine. I had went grocery shopping on Thursday but still isn't enough if a big tsunami hit because the emergency would last for weeks.
I didn't get gas. I had got gas Friday morning and had a 1/2 tank. I guess I should of filled up since gas stations ran out on the island. But 1/2 tank can last for 2 weeks around here.
Waikiki Hotels did great getting tourists up to higher levels and some Waikikians walked out of the danger zone. Police went down Kuhio and Kakalaua streets in Waikiki broadcasting to leave and Waikiki was being evacuated.
Great response from residents. Tourists were told to leave as they took their suitcases and walked out of Waikiki (that must of sucked). I can just see now a tourist with their suitcases getting hit by a wave.
Surges and swells came in all day. Not very big waves only 1-3 feet. Pacific Tsunami Center predicted maybe 10 feet.
Tsunami will hit the sensors in the ocean as it moves away from the islands.
Well, the State of Hawaii was prepared.
Costco opened early at 8:30am instead of 9:30am.
Ala Moana Shopping Center (very nice mall) was closed all day.
TheBus (bus transportation) ran evacuation runs.
Residents got on their roofs to watch the Tsunami.
Civil Defense are continuing to watch the ocean the next couple days.
Hour by hour assessment.
First responders were ready.
People poured into Diamond Head Point to watch the tsunami.
Beaches and roads were deserted. I missed those photo ops!
People lined up at the Pali (our mountain) to watch the waves on both sides of the island. (Oahu)
I guess I missed the tsunami watch parties too. Residents came out to watch on hills of coastline and Diamond Head Point.
It was cloudy since 1:30pm today. News reported that it might rain.
I had turned on the AC at 10am because it's super hot in my condo between 9am-2pm. I was able to turn off the AC at 1:00pm. Pretty cool out.
Well, there is a big party outside in the park. I saw trucks and men unloading bar-be-ques, coolers, tents this morning. I thought are they coming here from Waikiki to ride out the warnings? Then they put up party balloons but hardly anyone showed. Now the party is really going, music, dancing, food and the parking lot is full. This group and the large families comes about twice a month and party all day.
Life as usual now. 6pm HST.
See the still images of the tsunami effects at Hilo Bay, Big Island of Hawaii.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35617640/ns/world_news-chile_earthquake/?GT1=43001
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