Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

[tutusue]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

[...]
To note, I can clearly see the Ala Wai canal from my place, and around noon, it went through several speedy cycles of high and low tide levels, with a noticeable inbound/outbound current as the water flowed in and out towards the ocean. Nothing dramatic, but certainly noticeable.

I took a video of it. I'll try and piece it together to share here later.

I spent 3 hours in my daughter's unit in my building because she faces the ocean and the Ala Wai boat harbor so I could see the mouth of the canal. The tide got really weird. I was gauging it from a small corner of the boat harbor where there's normally no bottom showing. I could see the ebb and flow with the exposure of the sandy bottom then the water would cover it...then expose it...lather...rinse...repeat! I was kinda waiting for a couple of small boats to end up on high ground! Didn't happen tho'.

[Pomai]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

I think this event was a good lesson that hurricane kits aren't just for hurricane season and should be stocked year round. I was really grateful that I didn't have to head out on the highways and biways, waiting in long lines for food, water and gas.

TTS, very good point!

The past years' hurricane seasons (May through November) has kept most of us in Hawaii well-prepared for our other most-feared natural disaster, a Tsunami.

I still have all the checklist items stocked up in my cabinet, so never needed to run to the store for emergency preparedness items this morning, except to the gas station to fill my car up.

To note, I can clearly see the Ala Wai canal from my place, and around noon, it went through several speedy cycles of high and low tide levels, with a noticeable inbound/outbound current as the water flowed in and out towards the ocean. Nothing dramatic, but certainly noticeable.

I took a video of it. I'll try and piece it together to share here later.

[tutusue]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

I think this event was a good lesson that hurricane kits aren't just for hurricane season and should be stocked year round. I was really grateful that I didn't have to head out on the highways and biways, waiting in long lines for food, water and gas.

Speaking of long lines...very long lines. McDonald's and Subway, both in my Waikiki building, had lines snaking out of the building this morning. It was astounding to see. I just spoke to a young, McD's counter person and that store did NOT close, is across the street from the Ala Wai boat harbor and at street level with an entrance that faces makai. Police shut down our entire area and roamed, several times, with loud speakers announcing a mandatory evacuation...either up or out. Still, McDs didn't close. Isn't that somehow illegal to put your employees in harm's way under evacuation conditions? I told the counter guy to put in for hazard pay! That store is franchised not corporate. I wonder if corporate owned stores in the inundation zones were closed. Zippy's closed.

Ooooh...I feel a complaint letter coming on! I would've been furious if any of those employees were my kids. None are...and I'm still furious!

Loved experiencing Facebook under today's conditions. I heard Twitter was amazing but I'm not a Twit...ummm Tweeter...whatever!!!

[LikaNui]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

Well, it looks like we dodged the bullet this time. No large tsunami waves as of now, just those amazing surges. I won't say it's over, as tsunami incidents happen in pulses and series. It'll be hours, if not a day or two, before we can say we're totally safe. And whether or not we get tsunami waves, the pulses cause bizarre currents that make swimming/surfing/kayaking/etc. dangerous and that will definitely last for at least a day.
Kudos to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the various emergency responders and the media for doing a fantastic job. This was like a drill, but it was real. An excellent test of how we'd do and what needs fixing and tweaking.

[Adri]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

and now the warning is cancelled. But they still want people to stay out of the water due to the event possibly creating undertows.

[spookrepitus]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

Wow, it's kind of chilling to read that. Stay safe everyone!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

I'm about a half mile from the shoreline here on the East side of the Big Island just outside of Hilo. It's really a nice day

I'd love to go down to the cliffs and snap a few pics but the police is about a block down the road denying access to that area. We're packed and ready to evacuate (been ready since 5am). So far it's very peaceful out here.

Out where I live it's open ocean and we get a lot of big surges on rocks. At night it sounds like a constant roar of a distant jet plane. Ironically right now it's relatively quiet.

[LikaNui]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

Those currents in Hilo are running at around 15 knots.
In the past couple of minutes I'm now seeing changes in Kaneohe Bay. Water level is dropping and the stupid boats that anchored in the bay are swinging with the changes.
Wait... now the water is coming back IN, just in the few seconds sinced I typed the stuff above!
It's starting.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

My sister & her husband are on Maui at the moment; they were evacuated upcountry. Keep dry, people.

[Peshkwe]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

It's wild watching the white water effect as it all gets sucked out and filled in. The more the white water, the stronger and faster it's moving.

[LikaNui]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

And now the water is rushing back OUT!!!
You mainland folks can watch it on KGMB.com .

[helen]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

And now the water level around Coconut Island in Hilo Bay has gone up.

[LikaNui]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

WOW! Look at that surge coming inside Hilo's Coconut Island, to the right of the bridge! And look how the water has risen on that beach to the left of the bridge just in the past minute!!! Maybe a 2' rise in one minute!

[LikaNui]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

Best coverage is on KGMB/KHNL/KFVE, with their live camera looking at Hilo Bay. You can see the water going out of the bay and more of the rocks and beach being exposed. Incredible, seeing the changes minute to minute. Also cameras showing changes Kona side. Everything seems to be happening 30 to 45 minutes later than first predicted, so assuming that's correct we have another hour or so here on Oahu.

EDIT: I was writing this as Helen posted and didn't see that one, posted a minute before mine. Amazing photos, eh, Helen?

[helen]

Re: Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warning for Feb. 27, 2010

HawaiiNewsNow (KGMB/KHNL/KFVE) is showing a shot of Coconut Island in Hilo Bay and the water level around that island is going down