Hawaii tsunami: 10-ft waves possible after huge earthquake off Russia - Honolulu mayor urges residents to evacuate
10-foot tsunami waves are possible for some coasts of the Northern Hawaiian Islands after a huge earthquake hit off the coast of Russia.
The US Coast Guard has told all commercial vessels to leave Hawaii ports and barred any incoming ships from entering them until tsunami advisories have lifted. “All harbors in Hawaii have been closed to incoming vessel traffic. Vessels transiting within the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands or inbound to ports in Hawaii shall remain offshore until conditions subside,” a statement from the Coast Guard Oceania District said.
The mayor of Hawaii’s capital Honolulu, Rick Blangiardi, urged residents to move to higher ground, speaking in an interview with CNN affiliate KITV. “We need people to stay calm but also to act accordingly. If you can get to higher ground if you’re in a low-lying area, please do that,” Blangiardi said.
He said warning sirens have been blaring to alert residents to evacuate and urged caution on the roads amid “bumper-to-bumper traffic” during evacuations. He added: “Everything that we’re doing is precautionary.
“We don’t want to create undo panic, we want everyone to stay calm. We’re trying to act as much in advance as we possibly can to give people sufficient warning and opportunity to get to higher ground.”