No tsunami expected for Hawaiʻi after 7.3 Japan earthquake

There is no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi following a 7.3 preliminary magnitude earthquake near the east coast of Honshu, Japan, reported at around 4:37 a.m. HST on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says, “based on all available data, a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi.” The information statement is the only one that will be issued for the event, unless additional data are received.

The USGS reports that the distance and direction from the epicenter of the quake in relation to nearby locations includes the following:

• Namie, Fukushima, Japan 35.5 miles WSW
• Watari, Miyagi, Japan 46.3 mi WNW
• Marumori, Miyagi, Japan 47.2 mi WNW
• Kakuda, Miyagi, Japan 48.3 mi WNW
• Sendai, Miyagi, Japan 55.3 mi NW