MAUI SPECIFIC Tsunami Preparedness Information

Image courtesy USGS.

 Update: 12:39 p.m. 3/11/11

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3FBIoHMX8 /]  The Department of Education has officially

announced the closure of all schools tomorrow.

Maui County is also announcing that it is shutting down the Kahului,

Kihei and Lahaina wastewater treatment plants at 1 a.m. because they are

located in tsunami inundation zones.

This will coincide with the Water Department also shutting down its

pumping stations. As a result residents are being asked to only use

water when necessary, and to conserve their drinking water.

Maui police and fire officials are assisting with evacuation in

affected areas. Estimated time of arrival of a potential tsunami at

Kahului Harbor is 3:23 a.m.

For persons outside the evacuation areas, please stay where you are,

stay off the roads and highways and refrain from sightseeing. We also

ask that everyone keep their telephones clear for emergency calls only.

Maui County Civil Defense has announced that it will be sounding

emergency sirens every hour on the hour in preperation for a potential

tsunami.

In the meantime Mayor Alan Arakawa asks that people remain calm and do

not panic. This is in response to reports that people at gas stations

have been shouting and acting aggressively while trying to buy fuel.

“This is not the time to panic. We have plenty of time to prepare and

take care of our families. Remain calm and treat each other with

respect.

Police and fire and civil defense officials are out there helping to

evacuate affected areas as we speak. We will see each other through this

crisis together.”

For residents who need to evacuate but do not have an alternative

location to go to can go to one of the County’s evacuation centers. They

include

Cental Maui:

War Memorial

Velma Santos Community Center

Maui High School

Kahului School

South Maui:

Kihei Community Center

West Maui:

Baseball Field behind Lahaina Aquatics Center

Fleming Park

Lahainaluna Gym

East Maui:

Camp Keane

Hana High & Elementary

Upcountry:

Hannibal Tavares Community Center

Eddie Tam Gym

Kula Community Center

Update: 11:00 3/10/11 

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3FBIoHMX8 /]  The 4.6 Quake reported at 10:58 p.m. 3/10/11 on the south flank of the Kilauea volcano did not generate a tsunami. Hawaii, however, remains under a Tsunami Warning due to an 8.9 quake off of Honshu Japan. The earliest waves are expected to arrive at 2:59 a.m. (Kauai 2:59-3:07a.m., 3:21 on Oahu, 3:27 a.m. Maui, 3:46 a.m. Big Island).

10:16 p.m. 3/10/11 

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami warning effecitve for all islands as of 9:30 p.m. 

Please note that State officials sounded emergency sirens at 10 p.m., however those sirens were not heard in certain parts of Maui County. 

As a result Maui Civil Defense will be sounding its sirens at 10:23 p.m. 

Residents are being asked to “Prepare Now” for a tsunami which is estimated to first hit Kauai at 2:59 a.m. Waves are estimated to hit Maui at Kahului Harbor at 3:23 a.m. 

Please read the civil defense “disaster preparedness” section of their website by clicking on the following link http://www.scd.hawaii.gov/preparedness.html 

Maui police and fire have already begun to evacuate tsunami inundation areas. The Civil Air Patrol is flying over beach areas in order to inform those who may not be aware of the situation. 

Also two locations previously listed as County Assembly Areas are not available for residents. Those are the Wailea Drive Grass Parking Lot and the Kapalua lot above the store. 

Flood maps can be found in the front section of the phone book or by
going to www.scd.hawaii.gov and using the Tsunami Evacution Zone Mapping
Tool. 

If you are in a flood zone and need to evacuate, please head to a
family or friend’s home in upper lying areas out of the flood zone. If
you do not have another location to evacuate to then head toward one of
the following Maui County Assembly areas. 

All Assembly Areas are restricted to parking areas only, they include: 

Central Maui:
War Memorial Gym
Velma Santo Community Center
Maui High School 

South Maui:
Kihei Community Center 

West Maui:
Baseball Field Behind Aquatic Center
Fleming Park
Nahienaena Elementary School 

East Mau:i
Camp Keanae
Hana High & Elementary 

Up-Country:
Hannibal Tavares Community Center
Eddie Tam Gym
Kula Community Center