Tsunami Advisory CANCELED

By Wendy Osher,

**supporting information courtesy NWS

(Update: 11:30 a.m. 3/11/11)

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu has CANCELLED the Tsunami Advisory effective at 11:26 a.m. this morning.

EFFECTS:  Based on available data there is no longer a destructive Tsunami threat to Maui County.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES:  Tsunami wave heights across the State of Hawaii are now below advisory levels and are continuing to diminish.  Based on all available data the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is now cancelling the tsunami advisory.  Smaller sea level changes and strong or unusual currents may persist for several additional hours and appropriate caution should be exercised by boaters and swimmers.

(Update: 9:51 a.m. 3/11/11)

EVENT:  The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center at Ewa Beach has continued the TSUNAMI ADVISORY for the Hawaiian Islands.

EFFECTS:  Tsunami waves, that can be a hazard to swimmers and boaters as well as to persons near the shore, at beaches and in harbors and marinas, are now affecting the State of Hawaii. This hazard could continue for several hours. The situation is being monitored closely and the advisory will end when the hazard has passed.

The threat may continue for several hours. This advisory does not mean it is safe to return to evacuated areas. Decisions and instructions for returning to evacuated areas will be made and come from Maui County Civil Defense Agency.

(Update: 7:30 a.m. 3/11/11)

EVENT:  The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center at Ewa Beach has downgraded the Tsunami Warning to a TSUNAMI ADVISORY for the Hawaiian Islands effective at 7:30 a.m. HST.

EFFECTS:  Tsunami waves have now crossed the State of Hawaii and have diminished to advisory levels. Sea level changes and strong currents may occur along all coasts that could be a hazard to swimmers and boaters as well as to persons near the shore at

beaches and in harbors and marinas.  The threat may continue for several hours.

This advisory does not mean it is safe to return to evacuated areas. Decisions and instructions for returning to evacuated areas will be made and come from Hawaii State and County Civil Defense Agencies.

(Update: 9:39 p.m. 3/10/11)

Image courtesy USGS.

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3FBIoHMX8 /]  The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has upgraded Hawaii to a Tsunami WARNING following an 8.9 magnitude quake of the coast of North East coast of Honshu, Japan. The quake occurred at 7:46 p.m. Hawaii Standard time (Thursday, March 10, 2011).  The estimated earliest arrival of the first tsunami wave is 2:59 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time on Friday March 11, 2011. Messages will be issued hourly or sooner as conditions warrant.

EVALUATION

SEA LEVEL READINGS CONFIRM THAT A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED WHICH COULD CAUSE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE. AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS THREAT. THIS CENTER WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SEA LEVEL DATA TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT AND SEVERITY OF THE THREAT.

A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE FIRST WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. TSUNAMI WAVE HEIGHTS CANNOT BE PREDICTED AND CAN VARY SIGNIFICANTLY ALONG A COAST DUE TO LOCAL EFFECTS. THE TIME FROM ONE TSUNAMI WAVE TO THE NEXT CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO AN HOUR, AND THE THREAT CAN CONTINUE FOR MANY HOURS AS MULTIPLE WAVES ARRIVE.

FOR ALL AREAS – WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES ARE OBSERVED FOR TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL OR DAMAGING WAVES HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS. AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES AT FORECAST POINTS WITHIN THE WARNING AND WATCH AREAS ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.

MAUI SPECIFIC Preparedness Information

Maui County officials are asking that people
check to see if they are in a flood zone in order to prepare for a
possible tsunami evacuation this evening.

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
Wailea Drive Drive Grass Parking Lot

West Maui:
Baseball Field Behind Aquatic Center
Fleming Park
Kapalua lot above store
Nahienaena Elementary School

East Mau:i
Camp Keanae
Hana High & Elementary

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